Edward Richtofen: The Path to Destruction
by Master of CrackFics
Summary: Before the experiments and zombie invasion; before Group 935 and the excavation sites in France, Edward Richtofen's path to destruction began all before that. Based around in game quotes and character development information provided by Treyarch's Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies, this story focuses on Edward Richtofen's life in college leading up to France 1918 (Origins).
1. Chapter 1

The bright sun was overwhelmingly hot on the back of his neck. Edward sat with his head in his hands, perched upon the steps of his home. He couldn't shake the harsh reality of what lie behind the walls of his home. Just a boy of eighteen years and with no particular skills. He was now utterly alone.

His parents: murdered.

He drowned himself in guilt for cowardly hiding in a closet when the incident happened.

The memory of his mother softly mouthing a hush to him before coughing and spraying blood on his face as the intruder slit her throat marred him. Her once bright blue eyes became dull and distant as they stared into nothing. His heart dropped to the floor as his mother's limp body did. The man quickly removed an expensive necklace that was gifted to her by his father. He searched the body for any other prized personal belongings before standing.

The image of her eyes played over and over in his mind becoming more twisted by his memory each time until the woman no longer looked like his mother. With eyes as cold and lifeless as the woman who passed before him, they couldn't possibly belong to the warm and loving woman he adored.

The pounding of his heart faded from his ears as he returned to the present. He was being pulled away from the manor by two officers who held a firm grip on his upper arms. Edward couldn't remember standing. His feet dragged behind him like stone.

He stumbled.

He wanted to look back. He wanted to run back. He wanted to push open the heavy wooden doors and be greeted by his parents. He would even be satisfied to know he still had his younger sister who he tormented by crushing her dolls in their early years. However, unlike his parents, he did not discover her body anywhere in the abode. That possibly disturbed him most. The unknowing fate of his younger sister.

* * *

Edward sat in a small room without any windows. Hunched in a wooden chair, he stared at his lap and kept to his thoughts. Across from him sat a professional looking man with a spread of papers displayed over the wooden table.

"Please. Pay attention, Mr. Richtofen. This is excellent news for you." He spoke softly with a German accent as heavy as his voice. It pierced and echoed inside of Edward's hollow chest.

The business man handed Edward the hand written page of his father's last will and testament. Edward looked at the page unimpressed with the exceptional amount of Deutschmarks that he now inherited along with his home.

The two men sat in silence.

With this amount, he could repair the manor.

He could replace the stolen possessions...

Change the blood stained carpet...

Put paper over the blood splattered walls...

"Sell it."

The man across from him sat quietly with no reaction to Edward's remark.

Edward took the ink pen from the table into his own hand and wrote down some numbers on a blank space of the will.

"This shall be used to repair the house." He scribbled down another set of numbers next to it and circled them. "And this," He slid the paper across the table to the man. "I shall use."

* * *

 **A/N:** Original post date _February 11, 2016, but I started writing in December._

 _-_ _"I used to crush these (_ Matryoshka doll) _when I was young to hear my sister cry in anguish." - Dr. Richtofen, Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies, Ascension._

 ** _*May 3, 2016: I changed Edward's age from seventeen to eighteen. While I don't want this story to be based around a certain year to allow the reader to determine Edward's age in France, 1918 "Origins", seventeen was just a little too young and would leave a major time gap in future chapters._**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: This story does not reflect upon Heidelberg University or it's faculty in any way.**

* * *

The clock chimed loudly in the background. Edward tapped his foot in annoyance. Frustrated with having to deal with so many different people in such a short amount of time. It stressed the young introvert. His father was a charming, natural business man and Edward had acquired none of that skill. Unlike his father, Edward was indecisive; cowardly; awkward and perhaps even incompetent of doing anything right.

"If you are what your credentials say, then you will be one of our most exceptional students." The rector peered at Edward over his documents.

Edward had many undesirable traits, but brilliance was not one of them. He was nothing shy of being a genius. He was creative and worked well with his hands. He was diligent and meticulous with detail.

The rector reached his elderly hand across the desk and Edward took it in his, confirming his acceptance to Heidelberg University. The feeling wasn't the rush of excitement that he had expected, but simply a step towards doing something to occupy his time. A distraction from recent events.

He stood in unison with the rector who showed him the door. He stepped past the elderly man and into the hallway. The door closed behind him and he began his journey back to the motel he was staying at for the meanwhile.

The elderly man closed the door and quickly walked over to his desk. He ripped open the drawer and removed a small pen box and piece of paper. With shaking hands, he removed the pen cap and wrote across the page.

 _"Come soon"_


	3. Chapter 3

Heidelberg University was at her finest. She was clean, immaculate, handsomely decorated and polished. Edward gazed upon the large portraits that hung from the walls. The crowd that engulfed him pushed him along too quickly for him to read the names under the portraits. The men portrayed in the fine wooden frames presented themselves as educated gentlemen of the highest scholar. The eyes of the portraits appeared to follow him; burning their expectations into the young man.

The crowd of strangers carried Edward to a large room with tall windows giving a majority of the room its light. There were rows of chairs sitting before a small stage. He awkwardly found himself a chair- appreciating that he could finally escape the commotion.

The school's rector stood on the small stage looking onto the crowd of young men taking their seat in the audience.

The room became silent as the rector stepped forward and gave a modest bow before opening his hands to the crowd.

"Welcome."

His presence was calming, considering what chaos the room was in seconds ago. "I am your Rector, Ernst Wittig." He smiled. "Today, is the beginning of your brilliant lives. Even Heidelberg is starting anew." He paused to allow his statement to set in. "But Rector Wittig! How can that be?" The Elderly man pleaded in the voice of the audience. "This is one of the oldest universities in Germany! Founded in the 1300's by Dutchman Marsilius of Inghen!" Rector Wittig moved towards the front of the stage. "You are all privileged to be here attending Heidelberg University during her finest era!" He raised his arms towards the ceiling as if to present the building her self. "We have more brilliant minds here than ever before! Which is why we have been generously given this new building by our government!''

Edward applauded in unison with the room as Rector Wittig introduced the faculty, mostly consistent of scientists and philosophers.

Edward's mind began to wander. He was becoming impatient with the excessive talking. Instead, his eyes gazed upon the row of professors who were adorned in colorful robes. He wondered who would be responsible for enlightening his already intelligent mind with further knowledge. The atmosphere of intelligence seemed promising for Edward's high hopes of becoming a doctor.

* * *

His dorm was humble. Consisting nothing more than a simple iron framed bed, a small wooden bed side table- featuring what was probably the most unique feature of the room: a lamp.

Edward admired the beauty of its science. He smiled to himself with confidence as he marveled science at it's finest. He humored himself with the thought of how anyone didn't think of this until 1880.

With much excitement, Edward turned on the power.

Glorious.

The door to the room was thrown open- hitting the wall with a loud bang. A young man with blond hair peered into the room. "Sorry, I didn't expect anyone to be in here yet."

A small part in Edward died as he realised that he had failed to notice the second bed against the wall.

The blond tossed his belongings on the spare bed and spun around with an out reached hand towards Edward. He awkwardly shook the stranger's hand. "I'm Desider."

"I'm Edward Richtofen."

Desider noted how formal and distant his greeting was towards him. It wasn't the roommate he expected or the response he would expect from someone approximately his age.

Desider opened his trunk. He opened a drawer from the bed side stand and placed his shirts into it. "I'm assuming you're studying chemistry?"

"Medicine."

"Interesting. My focus is towards poetry and theology."

Edward looked over his shoulder from his own trunk and at Desider. His look was stern. The blond stood from his crouched position. "Yeah, come to one of the most refined science schools in the country to study poetry and theology...of course not! I'm going to be a world famous chemist!"

Edward opened his own trunk, revealing his few select belongings.

"Rock?"

He snapped from his thoughts and jumped at the site of the rambling man's hand, inches away from his face.

"It's English candy. If you don't like that, I have butterscotch."

Edward stared down at the colorful piece of candy before accepting it.

"Thank you." It tasted like pure sugar. He tucked it into his cheek.

"A bit of a sweet tooth, hmm? I knew you could be some fun." Desider smiled fondly upon discovering his roommate's weakness.

Edward unpacked his school books and placed them on the bottom of the bed side table- noting Desider watching him.

"What does Edward Richtofen like to do?"

He never paused to look at the blond happily sitting with his legs crossed on the bed.

"I like to read." He himself wasn't sure if this was true or if it came to mind because he was handling books.

"Do you travel?"

"I've never left Germany."

"Really?" Desider's voice heightened with an artificial excitement. "The world is amazing! Even Russia, despite how cold it is."

Obnoxious and a show-off... He could ask for a new roommate and risk getting someone worse.

Desider jolted pass Edward to look out of the window over his bed. "We can see the entire courtyard from up here! Quickly! Hand me a piece of candy; I want to see if I can hit that bald man's head!"

"That description describes a majority of the staff."

"But this man isn't a part of the staff!"

Humoring his peculiar roommate, Edward joined the shorter man on the bed and looked out of the window.

An older man stood with his arms crossed. He occasionally reached up to stroke his beard. He was deep in conversation with Rector Wittig.

"He's probably one of the donors. Trying to decide which building he wants named after him...Do you think I can really hit him from here?"

Edward climbed down from the bed and onto the floor. Certainly there couldn't be anyone worse than Desider in all of Heidelberg.

* * *

 **A/N:** I hate OCs. Even my own. However, Disider is useful for plot development. He is based on the single Dr. Richtofen quote, "Its a tiny gun with a long barrel...like my college roommate." From Shingri-la, Call of Duty BO Zombies.

-The details that Rector Wittig uses during his speech are actual facts about Heidelberg University (Germany). Also, one detail I noticed when I translated the university's site from German to English is rather than using "Headmaster" it used "Rector".

-In the early 1900's, Heidelberg University professors wore a colored robe or gown specific to their study: theology: purple; law: red; medicine: green; sciences and mathematics: yellow; philosophy: blue. Teachers were required to wear these robes until the rule was abolished in 1960.

( **Update May 27, 2016** - _"Disider/Disiderous"_ **changed to** _"Desider/Disiderius"_ because that's how it's supposed to be spelled and I'm dumb.)

 **Desider** : German/East Prussian- longing or desired.


	4. Chapter 4

"We'll begin with the Ninety-five Theses, published in 1517..."

Desider sat with his head draped in his hands. His eyes were half lidded. He muffled a yawn in his hand.

Edward glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. He was already annoyed with the blond for having the audacity to sit next to him, but now he was having to restrain himself from yawning contagiously.

Edward scribbled down a few abstract notes from Professor Troetsch's lesson. He jumped, startled by a loud noise of something slamming down on the table. He discovered Desider holding his forehead.

"Thibaut!" Professor Troetsch aggressively addressed the source of the noise.

"Sorry...I..I dropped my scriptures..."

The professor dressed in a purple robe knitted his brows together before returning to his lecture.

Desider groaned, still rubbing his forehead.

Before Edward's pen could make contact with his paper, he was being disturbed again.

"Edward Richtofen!" Desider whispered to him. "Can I borrow your notes after class?"

* * *

A bell rung, finally releasing him from the annoyance of his roommate...so he thought.

"Edward Ric- Edward!"

Desider was calling to him from the back of the hoard of students leaving the classroom. Something possessed Edward to wait for the fool. The obnoxious blond approached him with a calm demeanor.

"How are you?"

 _Is...Is he serious?_

Clearly, Edward's face expressed his thoughts because Desider asked him again.

"Edward Richtofen. How. Are. You?"

"Well? I suppose?"

"Really? Because you look tired to me..."

''You were the one yawning and making a ruckus all of last class." Edward focused his attention back to the question once he saw the genuine concern on Desider's face. "I'm well. Thank you."

Desider nodded, accepting that answer.

"Sorry about class. I had a rough night." He concluded as they walked into their poetry class. "Maybe you can write me a nice poem about why I'm such a pain in the arse." He patted Edward's shoulder as they took their seats.

* * *

 **A/N:** During the 1900's, Lutheranism played a huge part in Germany. So, I included theology in their studies because it was possibly considered blasphemous if they didn't attend it (I can't find a list of required classes for that era in Germany).

Confession time: Everything I know about Lutheranism is from Google...it's true. And it won't play a huge portion in this story, but I apologize if any of my information isn't exact.


	5. Chapter 5

Sleep. Why even bother!? Every time Desider was close to slipping into a sweet and most desirable slumber, the sudden outburst of Edward screaming in his sleep would jerk him awake. Desider slammed his pillow over his own head in a futile attempt to drown out the young man's screams.

 _'My father told me about people like this.'_

He mentally searched the room for a solution. He didn't have any water to throw on him. He didn't have anything loud to wake him with. He could shake Edward, he supposed.

Desider could hear the young man fidgeting and whimpering. That was it. Another night like this would make him go insane.

Desider jumped out of bed and grabbed Edward's shaking body by the shoulders.

"Edward!" He shook him more vigorously. "Edward! EDWARD!"

His whimpers became words as he gained consciousness. Desider released him and allowed him to sit up.

Edward wiped his forehead with his arm, feeling the sweat that soaked his hair. He could feel the stickiness and taste the salt of his tears on his cheeks and lips. His heart was racing.

Desider could barely make out Edward's face in the dimly moon lit room, but he could see the distress his roommate was in.

''Are you alright?"

Before Edward could reply, Desider interrupted him. "And if you say that you are, you're a liar."

"It was just a bad dream."

"Two nights in a row?"

 _'Is this why his strange roommate asked about his well_

 _being so suddenly?'_

"Bad dreams are scary. They wake you up. You go back to sleep and you forget about it. Edward, you have been screaming in your sleep!"

Edward ran his fingers through his hair.

"What were you dreaming about?" Desider sat next to him on the edge of the bed.

There was nothing but silence between the two as Edward tried to recall the dream. He didn't even know he was having these episodes until just now and if he had been dreaming or not had never occurred to him.

"I can't remember."

"What about last night?" Desider's voice was slightly frantic.

"Nothing."

"It doesn't sound like **_nothing_**!"

"I didn't even know this was happening until now!"

Desider desperately searched his thoughts for words in hope to find a solution to his roommate's bizarre behaviour.

"Your parents never said anything to you about it?"

Edward fell silent. He desired nothing more than to crawl out of his skin and escape this conversation.

"My parents are dead." He softly replied.

"Did they ever say anything to you about it when they were alive?"

''No! I don't wish to discuss this any longer."

"What should I do if you start screaming again!?"

Desider stood from the bed as Edward yanked the sheets over himself. He turned over onto his side and faced the wall.

"Call a nurse!"

"They're useless!"

"Smother me with a pillow! Wake me!"

Sun light broke the horizon and the school bell chimed.

"Shit..."

Desider dropped himself onto his bed- face down.

* * *

"Thibaut! Richtofen!" Edward was woken by a piece of crumpled paper pelting him. "Pay attention!" Professor Voss scolded them. "By Monday, you will all turn in a self written poem a-"

"Professor Voss! I want to turn in my poem now _AND_ present it in front of the class!"

The professor nodded. Desider grabbed the paper on his desk and walked to the front of the room.

 _"Sleep._

 _She is a whore._

 _Oh how I miss her,_

 _At my door._

 _Sleep._

 _She flees at the break of day._

 _Sometimes I wish for her to stay._

 _Those few sweet hours in her grace._

 _Wrapped in her illusions and embrace._

 _But as whores do..._

 _She has found someone new._

 _She has fled to a banshee! She chooses him over me!?_

 _Sleep._

 _She visits a man who shrieks._

 _Knowing her absence makes me weak._

 _Sleep._

 _I have fallen for this whore._

 _Who never sees me anymore."_

Desider looked up from his paper. His eyes met with the eyes of a very annoyed and unamused Edward.

"As humorous as your poem was, your sentence structure was inconsistent." Professor Voss returned to his position at the head of the class. "If you want to pass this assignment, I would highly recommend you rewrite it."

Desider took his seat. Edward seized the moment to take the page that the blond read from. He held it in front of him with a burning passion to shred the page...

but it was blank.

"Wanting to read it for yourself?" Desider was grinning at him with a smug look. "I made it up in my head. I used the paper so I could rest my eyes somewhere. I'm not very fond of standing in front of crowds." He took the page from Edward. "I need this for notes... Thanks. Y-you might want to pay attention. We have an assignment due by Monday."

* * *

As if poetry class wasn't hard enough to stay conscious in, he also had to survive his math and medicine class. Edward did well in these studies and he was very fond of them. However, he found himself more fond of having his eyes shut. He was day dreaming and it was of nothing in particular. When he was able to catch himself, he would lazily copy another equation from the chalkboard and onto his paper.

"They must be moving the university's museum into this room."

Edward had forgotten that Desider was sitting beside him. He ignored the obnoxious blond and continued copying equations. The young man was too tired for Desider's inane behavior. He was also still frustrated with the poem that Desider so kindly shared with the rest of the class.

"That's the bald man I wanted to throw candy at, right?" Desider knew exactly that the man was the same, but he desperately wanted Edward to be involved with his discovery. "Why is he still here? Is he a student?"

Edward solved the first math problem on his paper before looking over his shoulder. It was in fact the stranger from the courtyard. He was sitting in the back corner, writing in a leather journal that he held perched upon his knee.

Edward turned and faced his table before the man could notice him. If he was a student, wouldn't he be sitting at a table with the rest of the class?

He looked at the professor mentoring at the head of the class. The math professor appeared to be going through his typical motions. Even the yellow robes he wore had hand prints of chalk dust smeared across the front. If Professor Stäckel was meant to impress the stranger in any way, he would certainly fail.

"Before you leave, I have a surprise quiz for you all." Professor Stäckel pulled an easeled chalkboard, concealed with a black cloth to the front of the class.

Edward peered over his shoulder again at the mysterious man in the corner. He sat with his hands in his lap and his journal closed. As his eyes drew towards the man's face, he realised that two eyes were looking back at him. Edward awkwardly returned his attention the man in yellow.

"This will not be a part of your grade. It's to simply test your knowledge in logic and reasoning. You have fifteen minutes to complete the following problems."

A soft noise of crinkling paper filled the room as students prepared a fresh sheet for the test. Professor Stäckel removed the blind from the chalkboard.

"Begin!"


	6. Chapter 6

His whimpers were persistent and were frequently interrupted with screaming. Desider had received permission the night before to wake Edward with whatever necessary method...

But was it necessary?

Now, his own thoughts were keeping him awake- even after Edward had managed to silence himself. Desider muffled a swear into his pillow. If his roommate so much as sniffled, he was going to beat the man awake.

* * *

It felt like hours had passed. Desider found himself practically waiting for Edward to scream. He was starving for an excuse to use violent methods.

Perhaps...Edward would wake annoyed- no, FURIOUS! Furious that Desider had to be so rough in order to silence him! Then in defeat, he would come to realise that this could possibly last for the rest of his stay at Heidelberg!

A selfish thought came to Desider's mind.

 _'Then... Edward might be willing to enlighten me about the real cause of his episodes...'_

Desider laid in silence as he formulated the details of his plan. But when would he get the chance to put his plan into effect!?

He stood from his bed and looked down at a docile Edward, barely making out his silhouette with light streaming from the window.

Edward didn't know or recall ever having the night shrieks. Desider was the only witness to these fits...who said he wasn't having one right now?

He removed the pillow from his bed and softly took a step closer to Edward's serene body.

"EDWARD!" Desider's pillow came crashing down upon the man's head. He began to stir before Desider delivered another swing of his pillow. "EDWARD! EDWARD! EDWARD!" He raised his arm to defend against the homicidal pillow. Edward gazed upon the source of the violent attack with half lidded eyes. "Oh! I thought I would never wake you! You just kept screaming and screaming!"

Edward raised a hand to his cheek. There were no tears, but his skin did feel clammy. "I don't like this. Neither of us will get any sleep like this." Desider sat back down onto his bed. "You could be arrested for night disturbances! They'll leave you in the school prison-"

"I can still attend my classes though."

"This isn't normal, Edward!" He tapped his foot softly with impatience. "My father has patients like you. He has nurses throw water on them. He shocks them. Some are saved by medicine, but my father says that they are mad! Edward, I copy your notes! I cheat from your tests-"

"What?"

"You're brilliant! You don't babble nonsense and drool on yourself like his patients. If someone else found out about your nightly -b- _behaviours_ they might send you away!" Desider paused and realised at some point he had begun pacing. "Then who's notes am I going to copy from?" He quickly added.

"Have you.." Edward hesitated. "Have you ever actually seen any of your father's patients?"

"Hundreds. When I was younger, my family went to America for a few years for my father's work. I can't remember why I was there with him, but I saw an American diagnosed with laziness go through electroshock therapy. They thought if they shocked him enough it would bring back stimulation in his muscles and cure him. Instead, it killed him. I stood there and watched the man convulse to death! Why in the hell would I do that to someone I know!?"

Edward leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Then what do you suppose I do about it?"

"We're scientist. We find out why."

"I've already told you, I don't know what causes me to.. _do that_." Edward awkwardly phrased.

"Well...people generally scream when they're scared."

"You think something is scaring me in my sleep? Why do your father's patients scream in their sleep?"

"What? Do you want me to ask him about it?"

"If he has the experience with this."

"What scares you Edward?"

"Don't shrink me!"

"What makes you scream!? What could possibly bring you to the point of tears and such fits!?"

"Desider!"

"Who hurt you Edward!?"

He clenched his fists. "I don't know!" His dark bangs lost their perfect shape. They gently swept across his forehead. "You watched your father _take_ the life of a stranger! I lost my parents and baby sister _to_ a stranger!" He was shouting every ounce of pain he had felt since the day of the tragedy and Desider was the only one available to feel the weight of it all. "I hid like a damn coward! Oh, but I was there for the mess!" He banged his finger against his chest before turning it to Desider. "You didn't carry off the body of that American- you probably never spoke a word to him!" Edward grabbed his coat from a nail on the wall. He swung the door open and slammed it behind him.

* * *

 **A/N:** Heidelberg University built a student prison (studentenkarzer) to keep trouble makers off of the streets for a few days, however students would still be required to attend their classes. Some sites suggest that the prison was mostly used as a threat, but it was in fact used until it was closed in 1914. The student prison is now opened for tourists.


	7. Chapter 7

Desider felt like shit. He didn't dare chase after Edward last night. Even without the presence of the shrieking sleeper he still wasn't able to sleep any better.

He slumped off to the cafeteria down stairs. The blond sat by his lonesome, hunched over his bland breakfast. The silence was killing him. He moved to a more populated table to finish the remaining bit of his breakfast. "Good morning, Desiderius. You look awful." A gentleman who sat adjacent from him stated. "Are you okay?" The man next to him asked. Desider wiped the corner of his mouth with his hand. "Edward and I got into a fight. Nothing serious."

"We hear someone screaming every night."

"You would scream too if you took medicine, chemistry, and math consecutively." Desider leaned back in his chair to get a better look at the two men. "Maybe he needs to relax?" The brunette man grinned. The man sitting next to him had dirty blond hair and wore glasses. He nodded in agreement.

"You mean opium? My father said that opium does terrible things to you."

The man with glasses shook his head. "It helps you relax and if it was terrible, I'm certain it would be completely restricted by now." Desider waved his hand, rejecting the idea.

"Does he drink?"

"I doubt it."

"You and your roommate should come over to our room for schnapps. Maybe he can relax and we can all get some sleep tonight?"

Desider nodded. He stood from the table to inform Edward, but- "Have either of you seen Edward today?"

"Have you tried the courtyard?"

"But it's raining."

* * *

Rain gently spotted his clothes, but even with the slightest rain it was unusual for anyone to be outside in it. The world around him was dormant and all that could be heard was the sound of rain. With his back against a tree and a stick in his hand, Edward sat on a root and drew circles in the dirt.

Desider sat down next to Edward. Their eyes never strayed away from the ground. "I'm sorry." Desider was the first to break the silence. "I had no idea." Edward glared at the ground in response. "Stay angry at me if you want, but we're getting complaints. However, they also suggested a solution. Two, actually. But I don't recommend the first opt-"

"Just say it."

"Opium."

"No." Edward began to stand, but was quickly pulled back down by Desider. "Liquor. Do you drink? It can help you sleep." Edward raised a brow at the smaller man.

* * *

The room wreaked of smoke coming from the two long opium pipes their hosts weld. The dirty blonde haired man softly played the accordion in between puffs. "Desiderius and Ernest! So glad you came!" The brunette man greeted the two from the bed where he lay.

Edward ignored his faux-pas and joined Disider on the floor. "Alright, men." Desider rubbed his hands together. "You two said there would be liquor. I only expect the finest!"

"I'm sure you're expecting a snack too?" The boy with glasses laughed.

"Come on! I know two Southern gents like yourselves have at least two centilitres of Kirschwasser here!"

All but Edward shared a laugh as the brunette fumbled under his bed for his trunk. He rummaged through the trunk until he revealed a bottle of Kirschwasser and a bottle of Vodka. "Choose your poison. I prefer Vodka on cooler days, but there is plenty to go around." The brunette passed Desider the bottle of Kirschwasser before holding his Vodka in the air. "Cheers." He removed the top and drank a copious amount of the clear liquid from the bottle.

"I'll let you take the first drink." Desider passed the maroon substance to Edward. He took it into his own hands with uncertainty. "Be a man, Edward! Never have a drink before?" The young man with glasses teased. Edward nodded. "When I was in the Gymnasium... I had a friend who decided it would be a good idea to bring a bottle of forty-six year old red wine from his father's personal collection to school." He chuckled. "I can't remember what she said.." His voice trailed off. "But the sound of my mother's shrieking and yelling, I'll always remember. She was absolutely livid. I had a god- awful headache the next morning because of her."

"I think the hang-over probably caused the headache."

"Hangover?"

"It's like a cold you get after drinking too much." The brunette explained.

Desider nudged the bottle of Kirschwasser closer to Edward's mouth. "It'll help." He said softly. Edward opened the bottle and took a swig. The men clapped and cheered him on and followed with "Me next!" and other stories of their crude drunken behaviors.

Each time the bottle of Kirschwasser was passed to Edward, he would savor the taste. He embraced each sip as it engulfed him in warmth from the inside out. The sweet taste reminded him of the wine he regretted and missed so much. He yearned to press his mouth to the lip of the bottle of Kirschwasser again, but it did not yearn for him.

Edward stumbled to his feet. The room was spinning. His head felt light and his stomach couldn't stay in sync with his body.

"Edward?" Disider noticed his friend's uneven steps. Edward ran out of the dorm and down the hallway, stumbling on his own feet. He scampered into the toilet.

"Go hold his hand, Desider." The dirty blonde haired man laughed at Edward's misfortune, mockingly. "You might as well hold his dick for him too. That light weight isn't using it." The bed lane man sneered. Desider ignored the remark and instead went after Edward.

Desider entered the toilets. He discovered Edward slain over the toilet seat, catching his breath in between vomits. "I didn't expect you to practically drink the entire bottle by yourself...as well as a few sips of the Vodka." He paused when Edward began hurling again. Desider knelt down next to his poor light weight of a roommate. He rubbed his back as he continued his apology. "Accordion man and I drank...maybe a quarter of the bottle together? Maybe less. We kept passing the bottle, but we stopped drinking from it and I assumed you had too."

Edward finally sat back from the toilet seat, panting. His eyes were glazed over. "Come on. Let's get you cleaned up before you fall asleep because I sure as hell cannot carry you, Mr. Edward 'R'-tofen."

"I can schleep-puh here."

"No. No, you can't. Someone might stumble in here in the dark and piss on you." Desider handed Edward a handkerchief that he used to wipe his mouth with. Desider then took Edward's arm over his shoulders to pull the man up on to his semi-reliable feet. With the great difference in height, Edward could practically use Desider as a crutch. He was barely the height of his wasted roommate's chin.

With great effort and drunken giggles, the two managed to stagger back to their dorm. "Find your bed, Edward." The room was pitch black and finding the lamp while balancing a drunken giant was more than Desider could handle.

He groped around in the dark for the cold iron bed. "Alright, you ...sit...there." Desider instructed, guiding Edward to his seat. He released the man who responded with a low moan.

''Come back. You're warm."

"Go to bed, Edward. You're drunk."

"You're warm. Stay."

It was nice being next to someone again, but the young man begging before him was drunk...and probably would be none the wiser in the morning. What was the harm in comforting a friend for the night? Just as long as he crawled into his own bed before a more sober Edward could come to his senses and catch him.

* * *

 **A/N** : Kirschwasser is made of fermented fruit and is common in South Germany because of the availability of fruit. It was usually served in two centiliters and with a snack.

 **Quote references** :

- _"This whole war thing could have been worked out over some nice little schnapps._ " - Edward Richtofen, Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies, Der Riese.

-" _Mother? Is that you? I didn't do it!_ " (When seeing a shrieker zombie) - Edward Richtofen, Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies, Shangri- la.

There is a quote where Dr. Richtofen references himself as " _R-tofen_ ". I found it in a YouTube fan video and they took in game quotes and played them over a video. So, I have no idea what game or map the quote comes from. I just thought it was funny and wanted to include it.

 **-Gymnasium** : (German High school). It is the most advanced of the three secondary schools. It prepares students (Gymnasiast) for university studies.


	8. Chapter 8

For some reason, Edward started to notice the mysterious bald headed man around the school more. Especially in his science classes. Maybe he had always been there, but ever since Desider had made it his personal responsibility to address the stranger's every location- the man's appearance did seem more abundant than before.

The classes that the mysterious man appeared in were also followed by a test at the end of the week, generally listing questions involving logic and puzzle solving skills. The tests were becoming mundane and since the results of the test didn't effect the students' class averages, a majority of the them had given up on even writing a simple response.

"If these questions were about chemistry, maybe they would be worth my while." Desider glanced at Edward. His eyes unwavered from his paper. "I can't believe you still make an effort." He waited for a reply, but none was given.

"Pencils down!" The professor instructed the class. The papers were collected and Edward relaxed in his seat.

"The tests are clearly connected to that man in the corner." Edward abstractly gestured to the man with a tilt of his head. "I think he has what he's looking for." He collected his belongings before standing from his chair. "I think he's waiting to see who can remain dedicated to their work when it doesn't give them any form of reward or when it doesn't suit their interests."

"Or, it's a test to see who will blindly follow him." Desider followed Edward out of the classroom. "What if it's not a test of dedication, but a test of rebellion? And who said we couldn't talk to this man?!"

Edward acknowledged that Desider had made a good argument, but rebellion seemed too easy. Especially since a majority of the class would have succeeded by now.

He opened his mouth to deliver his rebuttal, but the short blond roommate was gone.

* * *

"I've got a present!" Desider pulled out a bottle of wine from beneath his pillow. Edward bit his lip and shook his head. It had hardly been a week since the last time he was poorly influenced by Desider. "Come on! It's the same wine from your story! It's not as aged, but it's red like the one you drank in high school, right?"

"How did you even obtain that?"

"Remember that man with the blondish hair and glasses? One of the two men we drank with? Before you painted the floor with Kirschwasser?"

"Yes, Desider. Get to your point."

Desider restrained himself from laughing any further at Edward. "I paid him to buy us a bottle and I told him to hide it in that dumb accordion case of his!" He smiled, feeling rather clever to have created such a plan. "Just a little?"

"No."

"Just enough to ease the nerves?"

"NO."

"A glass?"

* * *

 _Moments Later..._

Desider swirled the wine around in the bottle. "I should have known that this was a bad idea when I didn't see any wine glasses." Desider chuckled at Edward's comment. "No...that's what made it a good idea! Cups and glasses are... like restraints, yeah? You and I both know that there is no way in hell that this cork is going back into that bottle." Desider playfully threw the cork at Edward. He caught it in his hand and smirked. "Nice catch, but unfortunately that means you're still too sober." Desider passed the bottle.

"We still have class tomorrow. I'm sure you would hate to miss poetry class because of a hangover." Edward tossed the cork back at his tipsy roommate who failed to catch it. "What do I care? I'm a chemist not a poetrist." He laughed softly.

"You could be both."

Desider was quiet for a moment as he stared at the ceiling with a silly smile on his face.

"There once was a chemist,

Who was sick with delusion,"

Desider searched his head for the next line.

"His fellow chemists reached a conclusion:

That they couldn't helium,

And they couldn't curium.

So, they had to barium."

He laughed. "That was far too taxing on my brain. Edward Richtofen," He shook his head. "I don't think this poet-chemist thing is going to work."

"You don't actually have to call me that. You can just call me Edward." His voice was soft, but he meant it. He never intended Desider to address him by his first and last name, but before he could barely tolerate the blond long enough to correct him.

Desider nodded. "Thanks. That means a lot to me... Edward." He indicated with his hand for Edward to finish off what was left of the wine.

Desider removed a small black journal from the space between the wall and the mattress. His full name was printed in grey font on the cover. He slipped a pen out from between the pages that held it and began to write in the journal.

"What's that?" Edward inquired after placing the empty bottle on the floor.

"Nothing."

Edward was taken aback. Desider being secretive didn't seem to be of his nature. He returned the book back to it's place.

"It's just a journal." Desider said through a muffled yawn. "I write down my thoughts and occasionally sketch pictures of you naked- NOT REALLY! Just kidding!" Edward threw his pillow which made a satisfying 'flop' when it hit Desider in his face. The blond took the pillow and raised it above his head. He contorted his face in shock. "Wait. I think this pillow is softer than mine! I think I'll be keeping it!" He quickly clenched the pillow into his arms and rolled his body on top of it.

"What do I sleep with, then?!"

"You can have this rock!" Desider tossed his pillow from his bed. Edward scoffed, but took the pillow none the less. He crawled into his bed and turned off the lamp.

Desider sighed with disappointment when he saw that his game had come to an end. "Pushover..." he mumbled.

* * *

 **A/N:** Sorry for the late update (I usually aim to update every Friday), but I've been out of town. On that note, I will be updating two chapters this week to make up for lost time AND I have a laptop now! Before, I was updating on my brother's tablet that didn't recognise most of the English language. So, there shouldn't be as many spelling errors and I don't have to pry anything from his MineCraft obsessed hands.

Another note...Chapter Seven when Edward gets wast-ted sh*t face-ted, I have never drank before and someone **_accidentally_** gave me a spoonful of some mixer that was 15% liqueur (5% more than cough syrup) and I was on the verge of falling asleep. So, I feel that I succeeded in getting Edward **PLASTERED** in that chapter, but over did it realistically...


	9. Chapter 9

"That's the branch of an almond tree..." Edward stared at Desider, waiting for him to wipe a ridiculous smile from his face. "I couldn't find an evergreen and I think Rector Wittig would be disappointed if I tried to chop down one of the university's almond trees instead of just taking a branch from it." Desider took the branch of less than three feet in height and leaned it against the wall. "We didn't do anything for Saint Nikolaus Day, so we at least have to celebrate Christmas."

"That's because Saint Nikolaus Day is for children."

"It's all in good fun, Edward! And you can't celebrate Christmas without a Christmas tree!"

"Branch."

"I like it!" Desider took his prized branch and forced it to stand between the floor boards.

Not only was the branch below satisfaction to substitute as a real tree, but it was also ugly. It was lacking leaves and it was splintered at the bottom from Desider amputating it from its previous owner. At least, thanks to Desider, Edward was reminded of the holiday he had nearly forgotten about or that he possibly attempted to suppress from his memory. However, he often lost track of the days anymore. It wasn't like he had anything to look forward to.

Despite his personal and recent distaste for the holiday, Desider did seem to look forward to Christmas. "You seem... very enthusiastic about tomorrow. Why aren't you at home, spending it with your family?" Most of the school had gone home the holidays. The students who remained were possibly too far away from home to return. Or like Edward, had no where to go. "I wanted to spend it here with you." Edward looked at the blond, expecting him to be beaming at him with that same ridiculous smile, but he wasn't. Desider was serious. Edward didn't have a clue as to why his roommate would want to spend more time with him than he had to. Wasn't living with him enough?

"What do you normally do for Christmas? I didn't really plan anything, but we might as well make the best of it since we're together!"

Edward pondered the question. The corner of his mouth curved to a slight smile as he recalled a memory. "When I was a little liebling my grandfather would read stories of Christkindl as I cleaned my shoes, preparing them for that night." He sighed and released the soft smile from his lips. "After he passed, the tradition came to an end and I learned the truth about Christkindl and what the Schwibbogens really meant."

"That's nice." Desider commented with a nod and a smile. "What about you, Desider?" Edward asked, hoping to make light conversation.

It was nice for a change. Having a literally 'sober' conversation with Desider. At first, it was painful discussing past holiday experiences with family. Edward would force a smile and push down the thought that he would never be able to create new memories with his family again. He found his mind reoccurring to the thought that Desider had chosen to spend the holiday with him over his own family. He was slightly offended for them, but at the same time he found himself grateful for the company. With each story that Desider told, the pain in his heart eased and he was able to genuinely smile.

Desider slid from his bed and onto the floor. He reached under his bed and removed a wooden case. He passed the object to Edward who unlatched the hooks that kept it shut. He opened the case and discovered a shoe cleaning kit. Desider was the first to break the silence. "Since we don't have stockings, you'll have to clean your shoes for Christkindl while I tell you a story."

* * *

Desider had waited all week to finally follow through with his plan the next morning. While retrieving his pathetic excuse of a decorative tree, he had also journeyed to the market. He quietly slipped down onto the floor and crawled to Edward's side of the room with a small bag of candy clenched in his hand. Desider crept to the foot of the bed where his roommate had left his shoes the night before, but they were gone. As well as Edward. At this hour, he assumed that the well kempt gentleman was in the shower or shaving.

Desider slumped over to where his own shoes sat. Disappointed with being unable to complete his surprise, he formulated a new one. However, his thoughts were interrupted when he couldn't push his foot into his shoe any further. Desider reached into his shoe and discovered a green handkerchief. Curiously, he untied the cloth that concealed the mysterious contents. The handkerchief was full of small fruits, nuts, and candies.

What erupted from Desider's mouth wasn't a voice of gratitude, but rather a small shriek. "HE BEAT ME TO MY IDEA!" Not only had Edward beaten him to the surprise, but the young man's shoes weren't even available for him to return the favour that Edward would be returning- IF HE DIDN'T GET UP AT UNGODLY HOURS, IN THE FIRST PLACE! _'I would have taken the chance to slip the gift into his shoe the night before if he hadn't fallen asleep first.'_ The blond reasoned.

No! He still had a chance! Desider scampered to his feet and ran towards the showers, leaving his shoes behind.

* * *

Desider was engulfed in a cloud of steam when he entered the bathroom. He instantly discovered a pair of black leather shoes neatly placed at the base of the shower.

Seizing the opportunity, Desider ran towards the pair with his gift in hand. As he reached for the shoes, Desider felt his feet slipping on the floor- moist from the steam. His hands desperately grasped the nearest object to help him regain his balance. He clenched the shower curtain tightly in his fists. The curtain tore from the metal canopy and gracefully fell over the ungraceful blond. Desider surfaced from the shroud only to receive a punch to the face.

"What in the hell is wrong with you!?" The owner of the punch belonged to the man in the shower. The voice didn't belong to Edward. Desider peered through his swollen eye at a man who he had never seen before...or had ever seen so much of before. The embarrassed stranger quickly pulled his pants on and filled his arms with the rest of his belongings. "Freak!" The man shouted before exiting the room.

Desider was helped to his feet. He braced himself for another hit, but it never came. The soothing scent of shaving cream filled his senses, encouraging him to open one eye. Edward stood before him. Half of his face was still covered in the creamy substance, but Desider was still able to make out a grimace through the cloud of shaving cream.

"Dummkopf."

* * *

 **A/N** : Originally, this was going to be a part of St. Nikolaus Day (December 6th). With further research, I found out that the holiday was more commonly celebrated for children and Christmas (starting December 25 and ending January 6th) was more for the family. Common gifts were nuts, fruits, candies, and wooden toys for children.

-Desider wanting to have a "Christmas tree" shows that he probably comes from a rich family since only rich families had Christmas trees in the early 1900's.

 **-Dr. Richtofen Quote** : "Okay everyone. Gather 'round everyone.. I have a story for you that my Grandfather used to tell when I was a little little liebling." From A Nazi Zombie Christmas, **The Night Before Christmas.**

 **-** In COD BO2, Origins, Dr. Richtofen's in-game color is green.

 _Also, special thanks to a guest reader for leaving my first review for Edward Richtofen: The path to Destruction!_


	10. Chapter 10

_Thibaut Residence_

The wooden door creaked open unveiling the gentle face of a woman. She smiled when her eyes met the visitor's face. "Good morning, Mrs. Thibaut. Is Walter home?" The visitor politely asked. She nodded before stepping back to allow the man in. "He's upstairs. I'll get him for you. Please, sit." She offered the man a seat on the couch and left to retrieve her husband.

Two children were playing on the floor with wooden toys. They cautiously glanced at the man to avoid eye contact. They averted their eyes to their father as he entered the room. "Ludvig. How are you?" He greeted the man with a grin and a firm handshake. They took their seats across from one another before a more serious thought dawned upon Mr. Thibaut. "Is Desiderius okay?" The two children at play quickly forced their attention to Ludvig with great concern. "He's fine Walter. He's very adamant about his studies, however I worry that he's becoming stressed. "Mrs. Thibaut brought the guest a glass of water making a polite attempt to listen in on their conversation. "What do you advise? That we take him out of college?"  
"No, that would be too much. Your boy is very intelligent. You don't want to squander any of his talent by doing something so drastic." Ludvig took a sip of the water. "I simply think it would be appropriate for him to come home. Just for Christmas. I'm sure he misses his family and is a little homesick." Mrs. Thibaut stood behind her husband and softly gripped his shoulder with her hand. "Is Desider coming home?" The young girl asked eagerly. Mr. Thibaut hesitated before nodding. "Yes, Darling. Just for Christmas."

* * *

 _Heidelberg University_

Edward took the responsibility of tending to Desider's black eye, since he was the one taking medical classes. He checked for permanent damage and internal bleeding, but neither was found. Edward handed his idiot roommate a cloth from the window sill, left to cool by the winter air. Desider pressed it to his eye. "I probably look like a monster." He chuckled sheepishly as he crawled past Edward and onto the young man's bed to look at his reflection in the mirror. "It looks like this side," he pointed to the injured eye. "Hasn't slept in years, but my left eye looks normal." He looked over his shoulder at Edward. He appeared to be slightly annoyed. In his defense, Desider was on _his_ bed while looking out of the window and he was constantly distracting him from the book he was attempting to read. "Edward, oh Edward! Will you ever learn to love a face like this again!? What if I'm stuck looking like this?!" Desider dramatically wailed. "Are you implying that I could love a face like that in the first place?" Desider glared at Edward, but he never lowered his book to notice. Becoming agitated and bored the blond thought of a better way to spend his time. "I'm going to the Christmas Market." He made an obnoxious effort to climb over Edward to get off of the bed. "You should join me."

Edward held his book in one hand and rubbed his temple with the other. He hadn't actually planned anything past the first day of Christmas and the only reason he participated for the first day was to spite Desider by taking his idea. However, he did secretly enjoy leaving the gift for his strange roommate.

Edward's eyes rested upon Desider's black eye. He felt a tad guilty. The clumsy roommate had received the black eye in the process of trying to give him a gift.

Desider finished tying his shoes. "You don't have to go. I just thought you might like to leave the dorm for a bit." Edward closed his book. He wasn't certain if he was annoyed or grateful for the offer, but he was willing to find out.

* * *

The Christmas Market was not as busy as Edward expected. He didn't consider that most people would be spending Christmas with their family at this time. Most of the vendors were closed. The few who remained seemed to have items such as Evergreens or a mass selection of items and no way to store them. Or either, they couldn't afford to be home with their families for an entire day.

Edward followed Desider through the streets. He appeared to know where he was going. "I hope you don't mind. I need to get some last minute gifts for my family." They entered a humble bookstore. The building looked fairly new or at least clean on the outside, but inside the shelves were coated in dust and the books were aged with dark yellow pages.

"Desiderius!" An elderly man with a wooden cane greeted him from the back of the store. Desider walked over to the man and eagerly shook his hand. "How is your father?"

"Well, sir. I see you're recovering from your asthma?" The older man smiled and nodded. "Fairly. I still cough and wheeze, but I'm walking. They just admitted my son to the asylum, so hopefully they can catch it in time before he becomes ill."

Desider nodded. "I'm sure he'll be fine, Hans." He smiled and stepped to the side to show Edward standing behind him. "Hans, this is my friend, Edward." The two shook hands before Hans turned back to Desider. "What brings you two here? It's Christmas! I'm surprised that you rather be running around in the streets than be at home with your family, Desiderius!" Hans smacked his hand.

"Actually, that's why I'm here. I wanted to choose a book for my mother and I needed your help with..something else." Desider turned his back to Edward. The elder's eyes became wide as he mouthed an _"Oh"_ once he understood Desider's request. Hans ushered him to the back room. "I'll be back in a moment Edward."

Surrounded by books, but with nothing of interest to read. Edward searched the book shelves for something to read during his wait until he stumbled upon a book titled _Old Heidelberg_. Surrendering to his boredom, he opened the book. The elderly man's voice startled him. "That particular book is about a love story that happened at Heidelberg's very own university. It was written sometime in the late 1800's." The older man emerged from the door to the back room with Desider behind him. "I didn't know you liked romantic novels, Edward."

"There's a play as well. The university will most likely be performing it in the spring."

"We'll see it when they decide to perform it. Thank you, Hans." Before Edward could object, Desider took the book from him and purchased it along with one other and a package. Hans waved the two young men off. "That's everything I actually needed to get. Is there anything you wanted to do?" Edward shook his head. "I suppose we can go back to the dorm then." Edward suggested. Desider sighed at the failed attempt to spend time with his roommate.

* * *

The two roommates entered the dorm room. "I've got a letter!" Desider excitedly grabbed the envelope laid on his bed and peeled back the wax stamp. Edward surveyed the room with his eyes. He felt uncomfortable. As if the room was violated. Clearly, someone had been in the room with Desider's letter being evidence. Nothing appeared to be disturbed, but the nagging feeling in the back of his mind refused him to shake the impulsive thought.

"My parents want me home for Christmas."He dropped his hand to his lap with the letter in it.

"You don't want to visit them?"

"I do, but-" He wouldn't say it, but he felt sad for Edward to have to spend Christmas alone. His first Christmas without his family and the person who appeared to be Edward's only friend, couldn't be there for him. "But I didn't get presents for everyone!" Desider folded the letter and slipped it into his pocket. He grabbed his clothes from the drawer and his trunk from beneath his bed. He packed one of the two books into his trunk before handing the other one to Edward as well as the paper wrapped package. "I wanted to wait until the twelfth day of Christmas to give this to you but, well...and there's no arguing that letter. My mother wrote it." He scoffed. "Merry Christmas, Edward." He closed his trunk and took it in his hand. He wrapped his free arm around Edward's shoulders in a slightly awkward and unexpected hug. "Take care. I'll see you in January." Desider stepped past Edward and left out the door.

Edward listened to the footsteps echo down the hallway before he felt comfortable to move away from the door. He still couldn't shake the uneasy atmosphere he felt in the dorm. He managed to ease himself enough to sit on his bed. Having this over abundance of solitude overwhelmed the feeling even more.

Uncertain of what to do, he remembered the package in his hand. He remove the twine and tore away the paper. The result of the package was a black leather journal with " **EDWARD RICHTOFEN** " printed across the cover.

* * *

 **A/N** : On the _List of Admission_ for the insane asylum 1864-1889 (this was the closest I could find to the 1900's), asthma is listed. Hereditary predisposition is also on the list. Meaning, if a parent had any ailment (like asthma) the children would also be admitted. This may seem like a great thing to do at the time to help Han's son, but in the 1900's scientific knowledge about the human anatomy and physiology was so under developed that doctors were practically torturing their patients. People were admitted for imaginary female problems; masturbation for 30 years; bad company; bad whiskey; rumor of husband murder, and many more. I laughed my ass off reading some of these, but it's terrifying that these patients were being lobotomized, electrocuted, and injected with lithium.

 _-Old Heidelberg_ is a German romantic play by Wilhelm Meyer-Forster, first performed in 1901. In the play, Prince Karl from Saxony falls in love with the inkeeper's daughter, Kathie. When the prince's father dies, he is called to return to his homeland and rule as King and has to give up his love.


	11. Chapter 11

Edward woke throughout the night in a panic. He knew it was from his nightly screaming, but his true concern was if it was waking Desider up. He automatically turned his head to the roommate's abandoned bed, only to remember that he was gone. That didn't excuse his behavior, however. Sometimes, he found himself wondering if he truly was insane and if he was even crazier for listening to Desider. As for now, it didn't matter. Most of the students had gone home for the holidays, meaning there really wasn't anyone to disturb.

He tossed and turned until sunlight broke over the roof of the university. A stream of sunlight engulfed the room in a soft white glow. The university bell chimed loudly across the campus to greet the day. Edward pulled his cover over his head and buried it beneath his pillow. He finally felt comfortable and distant from the world enough to sleep, but a crude knocking was at the door.

Edward groaned and ripped the covers off. He dragged himself to the door and fixed his expression to a more pleasant one. He opened the door half expecting to see Desider, but a different yet familiar face greeted him instead. "Are you Edward Richtofen?" The bald man with the beard who had been sitting in the back of all of his classes stood stiffly in front of him. Edward fought the urge to slam the door in the man's face from an impulsive urge of fear, but something deep down in his mind compelled him to answer the mysterious man. "Well? Are you?" He demanded.

"Y- yes sir."

"Come with me." The man turned away and quickly began heading down the hallway. Edward followed with curiosity eating away his uncertainty to follow.

The man lead him to his anatomy class. It reeked of an awful smell of something rotting, but the source remained hidden. To make matters worse, the man closed and locked the door behind them. "Edward." The man's deep voice instantly grabbed his attention. "I am Doctor Ludvig Maxis. You may have discovered by now that I am responsible for the tests you have been taking in your classes." Edward awkwardly nodded. "Use your words, Edward!"

"Yes, Dr. Maxis." The man nodded in approval before continuing.

"You have not only remained dedicated to your work, but you have scored high enough to be selected to go on with my next test."

"Next test for what, Dr. Maxis?"

"To accompany me on my quest to improve the human condition."

"What do you require of me?" Edward asked suspiciously. He knew he didn't have anything to offer and if he had, how would this peculiar man know?

"You interest me in particular, Edward. I need someone who can remain devoted to the higher cause and not be distracted by worldly things such as friends, family, or love. As for now, I need to see if you are truly capable in assisting me with my work." Dr. Maxis bent down behind the desk and lifted a heavy item on to it. The item was bound in a filthy cheese cloth. The stench infiltrated Edward's nose. He cupped his hand tightly over every orifice he could possibly use for breathing to prevent the smell from invading his body any further. Unfazed, Dr. Maxis peeled away the cloth and revealed a sow. He reached over the pig to hand Edward a metal box. "If you want to make a difference in the world, you will join me on my quest. By accepting this next test, you will be accepting a possible position on my team of scientist. You cannot speak a word of this to another soul. You must let go of your friends and family. Everything you do under my authorization is top secret. Do you understand, Edward Richtofen."

Edward opened the metal box. Within it he found surgical supplies. He removed the scalpel and admired the light reflecting on its flawless metal. He opened his mouth to speak, but found a loss for words. He didn't have anything to really sacrifice at the moment, but what about his future? What if he actually became fri- tolerable of Desider? What if he wanted to make new friends? Or fall in love? Could he actually keep a secret and if he couldn't, what would be the consequences?

"Dr. Maxis, what if… I change my mind? What if I decide that improving the human condition isn't for me?"

The man sighed and began stroking his beard. "What I said remains. Just because you accomplish these simple assignments does not mean I will deem you worthy as one of my scientists. I will inform you of your results before I leave." Dr. Maxis waited for any further questions from Edward, but nothing came. "Now! Your task today is to demonstrate to me that you are well educated with the human anatomy. You will be practicing on this sow. You will first perform a lobotomy and list the parts of the skull and brain as you do so. Unless," His eyes darted to Edward. "You feel you are incapable of continuing these tests any further."

Edward clenched the scalpel in his hand and approached the rotting corpse.

"Yes. Doctor Maxis."

* * *

 **Quote:** _"To improve the human condition."_ \- Group 935 motto.


	12. Chapter 12

"How are you doing in your classes?" Mr. Thibaut inquired. Desider shoved a large serving of mashed potatoes into his mouth before replying. "Well. I'm fairly certain that I'm rooming with the smartest man in school, and he helps me with my work sometimes, so I can't be doing too bad."

"Brother is a cheater!" His sister, Anna, accused him with her index finger. "How do you know?! I left my cheating days back in the Gymnasium!" Desider tickled his younger sister. Anna giggled and kicked until their mother corrected their behavior.

Desider's father shook his head and busied himself with cutting the schnitzel on his plate. "I sent you to college to 'become' someone. I didn't send you off to 'become' friends with someone. I was really hoping that this experience would have matured you a bit, by now." His father spoke harshly. "Papa, I'm okay with being just another scientist as long as I'm happy with what I'm doing." Desider aggressively stabbed his schnitzel with his knife before mumbling, "I don't want to be as well-known as you."

"Desiderius, don't bring this up now."

"Why not? Do you finally feel guilty for never being home?" The truth beared a heavy silence on the room. Desider could see his mother in the corner of his eye with her head tucked in; her lips pierced. She didn't want to admit it, but she supported her son's opinion on the matter.

Desider's youngest sibling, who had remained quiet the entire time had started to cry. Even to a boy that small, the direction of this conversation was all too familiar with him.

"Thank you dinner, mama." Desider rose from the table and went up the stairs to his bed room.

* * *

 **A/N:** Gymnasium: A schooling system that starts after grade 10 that prepares students for university study or vocational credential. Most schools teach German, mathematics, computer science, physics, chemistry, biology, geography, art (as well as crafts and design), music, history, philosophy, civics, social studies, and several foreign languages.


	13. Chapter 13

To join a secret organization with high expectations and with a vague explanation of their purpose. It troubled the young man. He knew he should have asked more questions, but how many would Dr. Maxis be willing to actually answer? And would his answers be honest? How was Edward to know if any of this was real or if this man was just psychotic and this was some elaborate part of his delusion?

If the organization did exist, how did the strange old man intend to improve the human condition? The thought alone seemed unfathomably bold. Perhaps even a bit hubris.

Edward raked his fingers through his dark brunette locks. He considered the cause of his first task. Dr. Maxis challenged his knowledge in anatomy by tasking him to dissect a sow. Was the peculiar man in search of doctors? But doctors are meant to be known by people, so they can help them. And Edward was a student attending his first year of college. What experience could he possibly have? Before last night, he had never actually dissected anything. He had simply memorized text books.

Edward sat on Desider's bed to watch the sunset. Dr. Maxis had requested to meet with him in his chemistry class by sundown. No sooner. No later. Was this man really going to test him on everything from knowledge to punctuality? More importantly, he didn't even know why he was meeting the bearded man there.

The shadow of his dorm room building shrouded the building across from it, growing slowly as the sun took it's last few moments to set. Edward sighed and rose to his feet. He squeezed through the door and he crept down the hall of dorms even though most of them were vacant.

A small flame of excitement ignited within Edward with each creaky step. The idea to be a part of something secret that he alone participated in was rather fun. Even if the old man was lying to him about the entire thing. It was better than staying in his dorm doing nothing.

* * *

Edward entered the chemistry classroom. Dr. Maxis was patiently waiting in a chair at a table near the back. The room was poorly lit by a single lamp. "Come in." The deep voice greeted Edward. Anticipation surged through his body. Paranoia crept into his mind as he studied the room. What if this man really was insane?

 _Cautious..._

Edward sat at the table across from Dr. Maxis. The man stroked his beard as he studied the young man. He cleared his throat to display that he was expecting Edward to say something. "Hello, Doctor Maxis." Edward greeted him, but the man motioned with his hand for him to say more. "How are you?"

"No, Edward! Aren't you a least bit curious as to why you are here?!" Edward sheepishly nodded. "If you want to become a scientist, you have to start asking questions!"

"Why have you selected me-"

"The right questions!" Dr. Maxis pinched the space between his eyebrows with his thumb and index finger before controlling his frustration enough to place his hand in his lap.

 _Naive..._

"Why am I here, Doctor Maxis?" Edward asked. His impatience, growing. The old man reached into his pants pocket. From it he placed a small rust colored rock onto the table. The surface was rough and gritty with orange dirt. "I want a full report on this rock's properties. I want to see how capable you are of conducting your own experiments. You cannot do any research on the rock, but you may review different methods of experimentation."

"My objective is a _rock_?" Dr. Maxis arched his brow and gave the young man a serious look. "Why?" Edward challenged him. "Are you asking because you are actually interested or are you asking because you are questioning me?"

"This seems irrelevant. I dissected a pig yesterday and today you want me to study a rock? I want to be a doctor. Not a petrologist. How do you expect me to see your worldly _improvements_ by giving me such frivolous tasks?"

"You will know at a later ti-"

"Explain the significance to me of this damn rock!"

"Edward!" Dr. Maxis' voice dominated over the young man's, but the tension remained. "This is very relevant." He pierced his lips together. Dr. Maxis hated giving explanations. He expected others to follow his very strict rule of, 'do as I say, not as I do.' And that followed without question. "Clearly if you cannot handle a simple task like this, then how am I supposed to expect you to be able to handle something much more difficult later on?! You have a week." Dr. Maxis dismissed Edward with a wave of his hand.

 _Impatience..._


	14. Chapter 14

A man from a reasonable distance observed Desider stepping out of a motor car. The boy with blonde hair was dressed casually in standard university student clothing, but the lack of harsh creases and the gentle way his clothes embraced his body showed that they were of a higher quality. There was a careless smile on his face as he looked up at the university. His hands were clean and delicate. Not a wrinkle adorned his face. The man could clearly see that the student was sheltered in a finer life style; ignorant of any form of hardship. The man knew that the young man would be easy to recruit, but it wasn't ideal. Prior to the holiday vacation, the man hadn't seen the blond have any social contact with Ludvig Maxis...but from recent observations, his roommate has.

The man side-stepped in front of Desider before he could enter the university. The blond stumbled back. "Hello, I'm Adam." The man grabbed Desider's hand and forced him into an extremely firm handshake. "How are you?"

"Um. Well? How ar-."

"Excellent. Sorry, I don't think I caught your name."

"It's Desider."

"Really? Is it short for Desiderius? It means "desired", right? I have a cousin with that name."

"Uh- yeah, it is. That's...nice?" Desider awkwardly smirked. He was slightly frightened by how forward this man was, but he was friendly. Adam was grinning from ear to ear. He appeared very eager to talk to Desider. His hands were templed as he rested his chin on top of them whenever Desider spoke. When the man was speaking his hands were rather loose and open. "Desider, you seem like a really nice man. Very pleasant. Are you busy? I would like to talk to you more."

"Well, I just got back. Should I put my trunk away first?"

"No, you're fine. You can bring it. I want to show you something."

"What do you want to show me?"

"Don't worry, it's in the college." Adam ushered Desider to follow with a jerk of his head. Desider knew that the university was safe, so there shouldn't be any harm following the very odd man.

Desider and Adam journeyed to the school basement where the student prison was held. The walls were vandalized and the floors were covered in dirt. The man lit a few of the oil lamps that hung from the walls. "Desider, we need more people like you in the world. Kind good doers. Do you believe that there are evil power hungry people in the world?" The man's voice was solemn. He watched Desider explore the room. He looked into the prison cells, reading the writing etched into the wooden walls. "Yeah, but not here. These are just mischievous students."

"You don't think they'll grow up to become bad guys?"

"Well, I suppose they could... We're all children at one point." Desider frowned as the seriousness of the conversation settled into his mind.

Adam slowly walked towards Desider. His aura had changed. The once friendly and energetic man was now serious and intimidating. His hands were shoved into his coat pockets and his face seemed ominous as shadows from the flames of the oil lamps danced across each feature, aging him. "What if I told you that in this school, there was someone who was evil? This person is evil and they are seeking power. They say they want to help the world, but they truly want to possess it."

"I would say that the world is a pretty big place and that they're crazy." Desider deflected the seriousness of the question with humor.

"What if I said that this person is currently communicating with someone very close to you? Your friend, Edward is in danger."

"Who are you?" Desider snapped and faced the man. The man inhaled deeply. "I'm with an organization that seeks to balance the world's power. One of our goals is to prevent any individual from possessing too much power. We have been around for hundreds of years, keeping the world at peace."

"Are you an officer of the law?"

"Well..." The man rocked his head side to side. "More like officers of the world." The man smiled. "We could use your help, Desider."

"I want to join- wait, I mean.. what is the name of your organization?"

"By accepting this invitation, you will be sworn to secrecy. We are an underground organization for a reason. Meet me at the book store this afternoon if you're serious."

* * *

Desider stood outside of the book store with the dead almond branch Christmas tree in his hand. It was the most convenient option as a weapon he had.

Adam arrived when the sky was black. "I didn't think you would come. Wait, why did you bring a stick?"

"Um." Desider threw the stick down. "For science."

"Right... The meeting is this way."

Adam took Desider to a small pub, crowded with a variety of people. Everyone stared as they entered the room. A man brought Adam a pen and paper. He signed the page and then gave it to Desider who signed. "You recruited a university student? Just as The Circle decided that we wouldn't make the classes full of inexperienced youth again?" The man snarled at Adam.

"Adolf, I don't question your work, so I would appreciate it if you didn't question mine."

Adam pushed Desider pass Adolf and towards a group of men who stood behind the bar. "Desider has accepted our invitation."

A large man with grey hair studied Desider. "What is your name?"

"Desider-ius Thibaut."

 _'Did the man want his full name? Does Adam use his full name? Wait, is Adam short for something!?'_

"Are you hyperventilating?" The large man stepped back to study Desider panicking. His brow arched and his expression was apathetic. "No. No sir."

"Then do you mind if we start the ritual?" Based on the large man's tone it was a rhetorical question. Adam pulled Desider to stand in front of The Circle. The young man was forced to his knees. The room was silenced and all eyes were focused on him and the group. "Desiderius Thibaut. By coming here, you have accepted our invitation to oppose superstition, obscurantism, religious influence over public life and abuses of power. To put an end to the machinations of the purveyors of injustice, and to control them without dominating them."

Desider didn't know what half of those words meant, but they sounded terrible and in-just..and machinatious..and obs-obscruant-erous.

 _'Shit! I was too busy trying to translate those stupid words to focus on what the fat man said after that! Just agree and everything will be okay!'_

"Yes." Desider spoke. The large man nodded. Two people quickly grabbed Desider's arms and tied his hands together with a rope. One of the two muffled Desider's mouth with his hand as they dragged him into a back room.

* * *

 **A/N:** That's what happens when you agree to the "terms of service" without reading.

There are so many Illuminati sites and none of them are quite the same... If I ever find out the lead group of the pyramid, I'll change "The Circle" to the more accurate term. From what I've gathered, each branch has it's own leader. In this case, Disider would be facing the "Anglo Intelligence Group" and the MI-6. They are considered as the "physical brain" for the Illuminati and they are in charge of decision making. Another source suggested that "Class III" or "Priest" would be in charge and never mentions the "Anglo Intelligence Group" or "MI-6".


	15. Chapter 15

Theology had started and to Edward's surprise, he was sitting alone. He had expected Desider to be back at the university by now. Edward asked a few of his classmates if they knew the whereabouts of his roommate, but no one had seen him. The young man _sort of_ looked for his obnoxious roommate everywhere that morning. He visited the locations he knew Desider would generally be, but Edward never saw him.

Edward didn't check the student prison though. He wouldn't be terribly surprised if his peculiar roommate managed to get locked up before school even had the chance to start...

Edward shook his head and returned his attentions back to the professor's lesson.

The clicking and creaking of a door knob slowly being turned echoed through the silent class. The professor looked up from his scripture to address the intruder. "Why are you late?" Professor Troetsch demanded. Desider stiffly shrugged. "Over slept."

"Your roommate didn't bother to wake you?" The eyes of the class shifted to Edward. "I thought he was sick." Edward lied. Desider hadn't entered the dorm once that night. The young man was extremely suspicious of his roommate. "Take your seat, but if you're ill be sure to visit the infirmary as soon as you think you're becoming sick."

"Yes, sir." Desider took his seat next to Edward. The blond had friction marks on his wrists and bruises on his arms. He clearly hadn't slept and his clothes were disheveled. Edward wanted to raise so many questions, but doing so in class was inappropriate.

Desider was quiet and conscious the entire class. The only time he ever had his mouth shut was if he was sleeping during class. The blonde stranger sitting next to Edward made him uncomfortable.

When Professor Troetsch released the class, Edward was certain to stay close to Desider so he could pull him aside before they were swept away with the crowd of students. Edward grabbed Desider by his arm and pulled him in the opposite direction. "You're going to make us late." Desider whined, but Edward didn't respond. Once they were safe behind the closed door of the library, Edward felt it was appropriate to talk. "How are you?"

"Huh? Oh. I'm well, I suppose. We're missing class, you know and I was already late to theology, so I rather not make things worse." Desider attempted to step past, but Edward blocked him. "What happened to you?"

Desider tugged on his sleeves at the question. "I was attacked by some delinquents when I was walking back to the university. They wanted money or something." Desider wanted to tell Edward the truth, but after what the Illuminati did to him just as an initiation, there was no telling what they might do if he exposed them. More importantly, Edward was the one who was in actual danger and if he wanted to save his friend, he would have to hide his new identity as a member.

Edward wasn't convinced, but there was no point in trying to force Desider to be honest...and why did he care? Desider was careless and accident prone. It was completely logical for the blond to have been attacked while returning to the college or perhaps the bumbling idiot managed to hurt himself and was ashamed to admit it.

A slight smile beamed on Desider's face. The smile made him much more familiar to Edward as he knew the blond. "Do you think if I tell the nurse that I'm dying, she will allow me to sleep on one of the cots? She can excuse me from class and I can get some sleep."

"I wouldn't tell her you're dying and if you go you'll miss your favourite class."

"I think people are starting to think I like poetry class more than chemistry, so if I skip it people will become less suspicious." Desider leaned against the bookshelf- knocking a few books off. Edward knelt down to collect the books. "I think you have an admirer." Desider mumbled. Edward's chest tightened. He glanced over his shoulder. Dr. Maxis was standing there and he had possibly watched them during their entire conversation. "I think he wants to talk to you." Desider took the books from Edward as he stood. Dr. Maxis never approached Edward during school hours. He didn't expect the older man to be there and he was uncertain if he should even speak to the man in front of other people. "We should go to class."

"But the bald guy."

"He might inform the rector that we're missing class." Edward pushed Desider in the direction of the door and quickly followed.


	16. Chapter 16

Desider couldn't sacrifice two nights without sleep. He had nearly forgotten about Edward's nightly screaming. The shrill screams and whimpers that erupted from his roommate made the blond cringe. Whatever Edward was enduring sounded painful and horrifying.

With his pillow in hand, Desider approached Edward's bed. He studied the twitching and whimpering body. During the day, Edward carried himself with a calm demeanor. He was mature and polite. At night, Desider could only assume that he was haunted by the death of his parents. Since the holiday vacation, the blond often thought of how Edward had spent Christmas alone for the first time without his family. Desider couldn't fathom what else had he been through alone.

Desider tossed the pillow back onto his bed. He could obnoxiously wake Edward from his night terrors tonight, but there would always be tomorrow...and the next night..and possibly the night after that and Edward didn't deserve the constant rude awakenings.

Desider sat on the edge of Edward's bed and pulled the quivering young man into his arms. He held Edward tightly and gently swayed back and fourth to sooth him. The distressed young man unknowingly clenched the blond's shirt in his fists as he cried in his sleep. Edward's body eventually relaxed and the whimpers muffled by Desider's shirt finally stopped.

As soon as the room was consumed by silence, Desider's sleep deprivation devoured him...

* * *

The university bell rang just as the sun beamed over the earth's horizon. Typically, the sound of the bell and the pale beams of light streaming through the dorm's window was the start to Edward's day. However, today his bed was far too inviting for him to stay. He was warm and cradled in his blankets like a fortress of solitude. He kept his eyes closed to avoid seeing the sun infiltrate the room. Edward stretched his feet out from under the covers and followed by stretching his arms. It was terribly difficult to move. He assumed that his covers were twisted around his body. He shifted his weight until he managed to lay on his other side. Despite moving his head, his pillow was still warm and some how managed to lay parallel to his body.

No.

Sleep.

That was far more important than over thinking such insignificant things.

Edward slid his hand down the pillow, searching for a place to tuck his hand under it, but the pillow seemed endless. His hand stopped at a knot or a bump or something. Edward explored the discovery with his fingers as he tried to recall if he fell asleep with one of his books or pens again. Perhaps it was the neck of a bottle? He didn't recall drinking the night before.

Suddenly, his pillow groaned and shifted.

"Well, good morning to you as well, Edward." Desider purred, teasingly. His eyes weren't open, but a smug grin was plastered on his face. He expected his quiet introverted roommate would be blushing and trying to escape his presence. Not-

Edward grabbed Desider by the side of his arms and threw him onto the floor. The young man straddled Desider- pushing his knees onto the blond's hands so he couldn't move. Edward was blushing...or maybe red with anger. Either way, Edward had groped him. Desider was just trying to help is distraught roommate. He wasn't wrong, in his mind.

Edward's hands were on his roommate's throat, slightly pressing into a pressure point in his neck. His mouth tried to form words, but simply created slight awkward motions.

Desider calmly waited for Edward to say something, but his hands were becoming a bit uncomfortable around his neck. "You probably want to know why I was sleeping in your bed." Edward glared, surrendering the attempt to make words. "Last night you were having another one of your nightly episodes and I..." Desider felt vulnerable to show a more serious side of himself. The small part of him that was honest and caring. He had shown Edward portions of this side before, but he always had a joke or a snarky comment to follow to alleviate the awkwardness. This time, he was vulnerable. "I felt sorry for you."

"I never asked for your pity."

"I know."

Edward's hands loosened around Desider's throat. They shook slightly, but Edward remained stern. The color slowly returned to his face, but his ears remained a soft blush of pink. He felt distant from himself as if Desider had told someone else that he felt sorry for them and Edward had merely watched.

Edward sighed and stood to his feet- releasing his roommate. He assisted the blond with standing, but he avoided eye contact. Desider felt uncomfortable and managed a small taunt to come to mind. "Edward..." He said softly to the awkward young man. "You know, if you ever wanted to say _'good morning'_ , you could just say so instead of polishing my w-."

Edward kneed Desider in the crotch.

* * *

 **A/N** : _"It's a little gun, but it has a long barrel...like my college roommate."_ -Edward Richtofen, Shangri-la, Call of Duty Black Ops Zombies.


	17. Chapter 17

The week had been stressful. Edward felt that Dr. Maxis was watching him from every corner. He tried to approach the strange man once to turn in his "stupid" rock project, but Dr. Maxis scowled and walked away.

The older man stalking him wasn't the only issue vexing him about the week, but Desider's new behaviour was just as annoying. Every other night or so, his roommate would sneak out of the dorm and disappear until the morning.

Edward begged for one normal day and ideally, it would be today: Saturday. Alas, this was wishful thinking. The young introvert had intended to spend his day hiding in the library, but Dr. Maxis thought otherwise. With a small wave of his hand, the older man signaled Edward to follow.

Dr. Maxis lead the young man outside. The day was bright and cold, but nothing unusual for the weather in Heidelberg during January.

With the bright day light, Edward noticed that Dr. Maxis wasn't wearing his knee length white lab coat. Instead, he was dressed in a brown tweed coat and on his head was a light brown hat. It was very casual compared to his usual attire. However, the most suspicious item Dr. Maxis possessed was the large wooden trunk he carried. Edward tried to connect the sudden changes to one another, but once again Dr. Maxis left him without an answer.

Once Dr. Maxis lead Edward away from the campus, he placed the trunk on the ground and opened it. "You'll need this." Dr. Maxis handed Edward an identical tweed coat. He quickly slipped into the coat. It was so much warmer than simply wearing his thin white cotton button up shirt. "From this point on, we must remain very quiet, Edward." Edward nodded. What could Dr. Maxis possibly want of him now?

The doctor closed the trunk and walked to the edge of the woods with Edward closely behind. Twigs and leaves snapped beneath their feet.

Where was Dr. Maxis taking him? To Edward's knowledge there was nothing in the woods except perhaps feral cats, deer, and a small variety of birds. Perhaps Dr. Maxis had a secret lab hidden deep in the woods where no one could find him. Edward shook his head. He was being unrealistic.

It felt like a hour had passed before they stood at the edge of a pond. Dr. Maxis knelt beneath the low branches of a small tree. He pulled the young man down next to him by his wrist. Edward wanted to ask what he was doing as Dr. Maxis had instructed him to do so before, but he was also instructed to remain quiet. The contradicting instructions built pressure in his head, but when Dr. Maxis handed him a pistol all of his thoughts ceased. Edward had never held a gun before.

The young man stared down at the device in his hand. He studied the long sleek barrel and the wooden handle. Dr. Maxis gave Edward four bronze bullets then he loaded his own pistol. The older man cocked his gun and aimed it towards the pond before he noticed Edward sitting with the gun in one hand and the bullets in the other, dumbfounded. "Load it." Dr. Maxis whispered.

"I don't know how."

Dr. Maxis looked at the young man with surprise. "Have you ever used a pistol before?" Edward shook his head and returned the items to the older man. He was expecting the man to be upset with his incompetence, but instead a small hint of a grin curled on his lips as he turned to Edward with the weapon. "This is a Mauser C96 or a "Broomhandle". It's a semi-automatic pistol meaning you only pull the hammer once for each round." Dr. Maxis demonstrated by pulling the hammer back on the gun. "This is a very popular and advanced pistol. I'm surprised you've never used one before." Edward merely shrugged. Why would he have ever used one before? He lived at home with his mother and sister and his father when he wasn't busy with work.

Dr. Maxis reached into his trunk and attached a stock to the pistol. He pressed the stock to his shoulder with the attached pistol and aimed it towards the pond. "The Broomhandle has a slight recoil. The stock will reduce the impact and increase your accuracy." He placed the stock against Edward's shoulder and wrapped his hand around the pistol appropriately. "Use two hands." The young man fidgeted with finding a comfortable way to hold the pistol. "Excellent. Now aim."

"At what?"

"A duck, of course." Dr. Maxis sighed. "I suppose if you've never held a gun before then you have never been hunting either."

Dr. Maxis quietly crouched behind Edward and helped him position the gun. He pointed to a duck swimming in the pond a few yards away.

"Pull the hammer. Make sure the duck is in your sight. Then fire."

Edward gripped the gun so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He pushed the stock into his shoulder as deep as possible. He pulled the hammer back with his thumb, lined the sight with the target and pulled the trigger.

The unexpected deafening sound of the pistol made his heart stop. The recoil shoved the stock painfully into his shoulder. Dr. Maxis stared over Edward's shoulder with his mouth agape at the floating corpse. The surrounding ducks flew away. "You killed it, Edward." Dr. Maxis smiled. The young man briefly returned the smile before he remembered who he was actually with. The change of clothes and location distracted him from who had actually brought him out into the woods with two pistols. The thought was terrifying, but he had to know. "Dr. Maxis-"

"We have to get the duck before it sinks." The older man stood and stepped out from the brush. "Go on. This is part of the experience." Dr. Maxis pointed at the dead duck. Edward handed the doctor the tweed coat and his shoes before he waded out into the water towards his prize. His mind was so focused on asking Dr. Maxis about the true purpose of their visit that he forgot about how cold the water would be. A curse slipped under his breath once he was waist deep. The water was freezing. It was definitely one of the worse things he had ever had to do.

As he neared his victim, Edward could see the blood dispersing into the water. He grabbed the duck and brought it to the bank. Being out of the water only made him colder. All but his head and shoulders were soaking wet. To make matters worse, the cold made his nose run.

Dr. Maxis took the duck and dumped it into a burlap sack. "Remove your shirt or you'll never get warm." Edward did as he was instructed. "We can cook this in my office at the university." Dr. Maxis tossed the burlap sack into the trunk and closed it.

Through chattering teeth, Edward took the opportunity to try and ask Dr. Maxis why they were out in the woods shooting ducks. Would he be required to have this skill when working for the strange man? "Dr. Maxis. Why did you bring me out here?"

Dr. Maxis looked at Edward, offended. "What? Did you not enjoy yourself today?"

"No, I did. But is this another test?"

The older man's face softened with a more humble appearance. "No. I thought you might enjoy doing something different today. Everything doesn't have to be about work. I certainly enjoyed today."

Truthfully, Dr. Maxis hadn't invited Edward to hunt with him to help the young man get away from the university for awhile, but more selfishly for his own interest. Since Dr. Maxis' wife had past, he had become lonely. He would drown himself in work to stay distracted from the constant reminder that she was gone.

Edward was obviously just as alone as he was. The news had kept the death of his family as no secret. When Dr. Maxis thought of how Edward had lost the closest people to him in his life, he was reminded of losing his beloved wife.

Sometimes he wondered if her death wouldn't feel so painful if they had adopted the children she so desperately wanted, but couldn't conceive.

"It's iron, by the way."

"Excuse me?"

"The rock you wanted me to conduct experiments on. I completed the experiments last week and you never asked for the rock back."

"I know. I never intended to retrieve it. But don't you feel accomplished for finding out what it was the hard way?"

"So there really wasn't ever a purpose in the damn rock..." Edward mumbled as he walked with Dr. Maxis back to the university, sniffling to control his runny nose the entire way.

* * *

 **A/N: -** I have found several sites and videos claiming that Dr. Maxis had invented the Mauser C96 around January 1916, but I could not find this in his bio on the call of duty wiki page. Considering that this is an actual gun, invented by German arms manufacturer Mauser in 1896, it's safe to claim that Maxis creating the Mauser C96 is a misinterpreted detail.

-" _Doctor Richtofen has a collection of stuffed animals, most of them posed in positions of terror at the instant of their death."_ **Richtofen's bio added with Map Pack 2 in _World at War_.**

\- On " **Moon** " it is revealed that Dr. Maxis' wife is dead.

 _ **Happy Kinky Friday** **!**_ (Sure, we'll call it that) I'm posting ch17 and ch18 at the same time because the events in the chapters both happen on the same day and instead of doing a page break and having a chapter of 3,000+ words, the reader can take a break (I'm sure you all have lives) and read the next chapter whenever. But to have two chapters that happen all in one day be separated by a week ruins the flow. So, enjoy your _Kinky_ _Friday_ with twice the _pleasure_ and _double the action_ and if _you can't handle it_ , closing your browser is the safe word. ;)


	18. Chapter 18

"What in the hell happened to you?" Desider sat up in his bed when Edward entered the dorm dripping wet. His shoes made a squishy noise as he walked across the room. Edward closed the dorm window, but the latch wouldn't catch and one of the doors would slowly creak back open.

"Sorry. I broke the window latch thingy when I opened it. I thought it was rusted shut, but it turns out that it was intentionally locked." Desider held up the small metal latch for the young man to see. Edward groaned and unbuttoned his shirt. He tossed it to the floor. "Do you need help? I can get a towel."

Edward sniffled. "No thank you."

"What about a handkerchief for those sniffles?"

"I have mine."

Desider reached into Edward's pants pocket and removed the soaking wet green cloth. "I don't think it'll do you much good." The blond gave his wet roommate a white handkerchief to use. Edward thanked him and chased after his runny nose.

Desider sat with his legs crossed on his bed and watched his roommate slop, squish, and drip his way around the room in search of dry clothes. He chuckled. "You should have a really good explanation for this. Most people don't go for a swim in January and if they do, they're usually one of my father's patients."

"It was raining in town today."

"Really? You'll have to teach me how you managed to keep your hair dry when the rest of you is soaking wet."

"I wore a hat."

"Oh... yeah, I suppose that makes sense." Desider nodded. "It must have rained fairly hard."

"Look away, please. I don't want to track anymore water throughout the school, so I'm changing in here."

Desider rolled his eyes. "I will, but my eyes only hunger for you." He said sarcastically. "You and your...pale pasty flesh and ... scrawny body." Desider laid back on his bed and dropped his pillow over his face.

Edward did the last few buttons on his shirt and he buttoned his pants. He gathered the soaking wet clothes in his arms and stepped near the door before adding, "Your tone says _distaste_ , but discovering you in my bed says _otherwise_." Edward teased in an exasperated tone.

Desider bolted straight out of bed- sending his pillow flying across the room. He opened his mouth in protest, but Edward had left the dorm before he was given a chance.

 _'The next time he has a night terror, I'll beat the shit out of him!'_

* * *

The sun was setting and there was barely enough day light left for Edward to find his way to Dr. Maxis' office. The young man walked across the campus to the main building.

During the day, the main building was boisterous with students walking from class to class. People visiting the museum and library or for Edward's convenience, it was also where Dr. Maxis temporarily kept his office next to Rector Wittig's.

The plaque for the office door had been removed, but it was the only door next to the Rector's so the young man could assume he was at the right place. He knocked on the wooden door and listened closely for a reply. Not a sound came from behind the door. Edward was certain this was the correct room and Dr. Maxis said he would be going straight to his office to prepare the duck.

Edward sneezed.

Ugh, the pressure in his face was becoming increasingly uncomfortable from his runny nose. He certainly wasn't in the mood to wait for the strange man to return to his office and seeing how the door was unmarked, Dr. Maxis most likely didn't want anyone to know who or what was behind it and standing around it could make people suspicious.

Edward turned and started to head back to his dorm when he heard Dr. Maxis call to him. The door was opened quietly. The older man had waited until he heard the visitor walking away before he opened the door. That way, he could see who the visitor was from behind without them being any wiser.

Edward entered the small office. The fire place kept the room cozy and provided most of the lighting. Dr. Maxis stirred the stew in the cauldron that was cooking over the low flame. "Hang your wet clothes by the fire and turn on that lamp on the desk."

The fire place was only large enough for Edward to hang one item of clothing at a time. Starting with his shirt, he hung it on two of the nails in the mantle. After he turned on the lamp, he sat on the floor next to Dr. Maxis' chair. The older man studied Edward as he stroked his beard in thought. "Edward, if I choose not to select you as one of my scientists, what will you do?"

"If you do not choose me or if I reject your offer," He started. "I will do what I have simply been doing all along. I will finish college and become a doctor." Edward ignored the stern look Dr. Maxis gave him after his answer. He knew that not many people would have the intrepidity to ever tell the man 'no', but Edward refused to allow Dr. Maxis that power over him. Also, he wasn't entirely certain if "Improving the human condition" was ideally his place in the world.

"I see." Dr. Maxis eventually replied as he stirred the stew. "It's a big decision. Your entire life will change as you know it. You will have to remain dedicated to the cause. You will abandoned your friends and loved ones. There will be quite a lot of traveling. And if I do select you to join me, there is a good chance I will be leaving before the end of the school year. You won't be graduating from Heidelberg University, but you will have a career."

Dr. Maxis stood from his chair and grabbed two bowls placed on his desk with two spoons. He ladled the stew into the bowls and gave Edward one of the servings. The young man thanked him and took a spoonful into his mouth. It was warm, but Edward couldn't taste it. He sniffled, hoping the steam from the stew would open his sinuses. Even with the lack of flavour, the warmth of the stew warmed his body.

"Dr. Maxis, how do you plan to improve the human condition?" Edward asked.

The man chewed a potato from the stew as he thought of an answer. "My scientists and I search for humanity's greatest challenges and we create solutions, whether the solution is medical, elemental, or technological."

"If your intentions mean well, why is your group secret?

Dr. Maxis sighed. If Edward was ever to work for him, his naive mind set would very detrimental. "Of all people, you by now should understand that there are bad people in the world. If the public knew of our inventions or discoveries they could land in the wrong hands. That is why no one must know why I am here or that you are communicating with me. That includes your roommate, Desiderius."

Edward scoffed. "I doubt he will be of any concern."

"He is suspicious of your activities, Edward." Dr. Maxis snapped. A sinking feeling of disappointment sunk into Edward's chest. How could he had lead Desider on to even become suspicious? Desider was rarely in the dorm to even notice when Edward was leaving to see Dr. Maxis.

"When you return to your dorm, search through his belongings to see if there's any evidence."

Edward stared at the man in shock.

"This is a test. You will report to me if you find anything. You have three days."

Dr. Maxis wanted him to violate Desider's personal belongings?!

"If I discover that your roommate _is_ aware of your current activities and you fail to report any evidence or knowledge to me, I will not only reject you from possible employment, but I will also see that you are expelled from Heidelberg University. I cannot risk the sake of my cause for some immature and incompetent fool who did not take me seriously! Do I make myself clear, Edward Richtofen...?"

Edward hesitated. Dr. Maxis stared intimidatingly down into Edward's blue eyes. Not a hint of light or kindness could be found in the man's brown eyes. The young man swallowed his fear and forced an answer...

"Yes, Dr. Maxis."

 _What had he gotten himself into?_

* * *

 **A/N:** When writing this chapter, I was playing around with a few thoughts in my head about Dr. Maxis. Other than thinking he's a complete asshat, I tried to think of how his work _(Group 935, inventions, his relationships with the other scientists and Samantha)_ could provide me with some kind of look into his character, I focused on **Group 935.** Since the game is full of codes I thought I'd play around with "935" and I found something that could be interesting.

In the Roman alphabet, 9=I, 3=C, and 5=E: **ICE.**

I doubt it's anything relevant. Just one of those _"Huh. Okay."_ Moments I thought I'd share.

 **-** While doing some research, I discovered that details weren't as I thought they were... Meaning, I'm taking a bit of a different direction than I originally intended with the story. I had the next two chapters written and they left me with a huge writer's block. They didn't progress future chapters in the direction I needed. My schedule is hectic and deleting the next two chapters puts me behind schedule. I might not post next Friday, but because I write in bulk I can promise chapters to make up for lost time. I will finish this story.


	19. Chapter 19

Desider sat at the bar in the local pub while Adam discussed "important and secret matters" with a few other members of the Illuminati. While this would interest most, the blond couldn't care less. He sat alone with a glass of wine in his hand as he swung and dangled his feet from the bar stool.

"We could use thought reform on him. " Adolf viciously smiled while looking over his shoulder at the naive Desider. Adam shook his head. "You only need to know two percent more than the person you're trying to persuade and I have a feeling that even knowing just one percent more would be generous. If we brainwash him, we could lose the trust we already have."

"You brought him here. You need to put the _piefke_ to good use." A man sitting next to Adolf stated after a long draw from his pipe. "The Circle said that they didn't want anymore university students interfering with the system and you went and did exactly that."

Adam narrowed his gaze at the man. "I've studied Edward. No one would be able to walk over to him and convince him that Dr. Maxis is dangerous. We can't simply capture him because it would be obvious if he was missing his classes." The man sighed and drummed his fingers on the table. "I need to know more about him and who better to ask than his roommate?"

"And?"

"And what?"

"What have you learned from him?"

Adam fell silent. Desider had accepted the invitation to the Illuminati weeks ago, but Adam had never taken the time to actually talk to the young man. The man smirked with the pipe between his teeth.

"Desider! Come sit with me and these gentlemen for a moment!" Adam called the blond over. Desider happily joined the three men at the table. "Desider, you've met Adolf. This is Bastian." The man removed his pipe from his mouth and bowed his head. Adam continued, "We were just discussing your friend Edward and how..." He laced his fingers together and pressed them to his lips. "It's frightening what kind of danger he is getting himself into. Dr. Maxis is not a sane man." Adam scoffed. "He's an absolute psychopath."

Desider furrowed his brows. He clung to every word that the brunette man spoke. "What can we do?" His voice was low, but it managed to mask his fear.

"I've tried to warn Edward about Dr. Maxis and tell him that he'll only take advantage of him in the end, but he wouldn't listen. I think I scared him."

"I could try telling him. I'm his friend! He might listen to me."

"You could also offend him and lose his trust. Then there would be no chance in _'saving'_ him." Adolf added without making eye contact with anyone at the table.

"I wish there was a way we could get him outside of the university without him missing his classes." Adam watched Desider's body language. He was waiting for the blond to prove his usefulness to their cause.

"Like medical leave or a sickness in the family?" Bastian suggested. He eyed the blond carefully. He didn't have any faith in utilising the brat.

"We can't allow anyone to know that he's with u-."

"Well...Edward _is_ kind of sick..." Desider softly added. The other three men all stared at him curiously. "H-he...screams in his sleep. If he was sent to a doctor we could possibly take him from there?" That was the last thing the blond wanted to become of his roommate. He would absolutely refuse to allow Edward to actually be admitted to an asylum.

"I don't think a missing patient from the asylum would go well with the public."

"What if he didn't actually go to the asylum? The Rector would only have to think that. We can keep him here." Adam interjected Adolf.

"Will he be safe?"

Adam and Adolf hesitated, but Bastian released them from the awkward tension. "Yes. We can keep Edward safe and show him that Dr. Maxis has malicious intentions. If he's here, the doctor can't find him."

Desider nodded, satisfied knowing that his friend would be protected.

Adolf, the most cynical of the three, leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms and tucked his chin to his chest. "How in the hell are we supposed to convince the Rector that one of his students has actually been admitted to an asylum without any evidence?"

"My father is a doctor at an asylum... I know how to forge his signature. He has hundreds of patients; no one would notice if Edward wasn't actually there."

Adam arched his brow and smiled at the other two men. He felt confident that he had finally proven that he had selected Desider as a good target and anything that could be shoved back into Adolf's face was a victory to Adam.

"Excellent work, Desider." Bastian complimented Desider to admit that he perhaps was also wrong about the blond. "I'll begin the admissions letter, so it can be delivered by morning." He emptied his pipe, stood from the table, and requested a pen and paper at the bar.

"Desider, I'm going to treat you with breakfast at the cafe down the road. Early before the sun rises."

Adolf glared at his fellow member. If they were supposed to capture Edward tomorrow, where was Adam running off to?

Adam watched Bastian approach with the letter of admission. It was probably best if Desider didn't attempt to read it. He would need to be subtle with rushing the blond. "As soon as you sign this paper, I'll walk you back to the university. The pub will be closing shortly and officers become suspicious when it doesn't close on time."

Bastian placed the letter and pen in front of Desider and Adam patted him on the shoulder. The blond tried to skim the letter, but the urgent need to leave pressured him to sign his father's signature without reading. "Come on." Adam pulled the young man from his seat and ushered him out of the pub.

Bastian sighed. "I suppose he expects us to get this approved by The Circle?"

"I really hate that man."

* * *

 **A/N:** _Piefke:_ An Austrian ethnic slur suggesting that all Prussians are Germanised Poles.

- **Update notice, May 27, 2016:** Like an idiot, I have been spelling **"Desider's"** name incorrectly since day one _(even I'm not sure how I managed that)_. **Disider/Disiderous** has been changed to **Desider/Desiderius** , "longing" or "desired". I found it submitted under German (East Prussian) names for the 1800's but with further research I discovered that the name comes from Latin origins.

Desider is supposed to be Prussian, despite the origins of his first and last name. I intended to use his name to help portray this and I apologise for the inconsistency.


	20. Chapter 20

About a hour before the sun would rise, Desider sat outside at the cafe with Adam. Their hands were tightly wrapped around their cups of coffee; attempting to stay warm. "I didn't think the cafe would be open this early."

"The owner is a good friend of mine. On my way to work, I usually stop by to chat with him."

"That's nice." Desider smiled and took a sip of his coffee.

When Adam met Desider, it was obvious that the blond was naive and had a kind heart. Taking advantage of him was a necessary evil. The least Adam could do, was to keep Desider as he was...

 _Ignorant._

* * *

 _Meanwhile..._

"Dammit Desider!" Edward yelled at the blond with a scratchy voice. The young man sat up in his bed and rubbed his eyes. "Desider?" He called out into the darkness of the dorm. Edward listened quietly for a reply or any signs of breathing, but none came. He released an exasperated sigh and turned on the lamp. Just as Edward suspected, his roommate was gone. He couldn't recall if Desider had ever returned to their dorm last night. If the blond hadn't, this would be the first time he had stayed out the entire night.

A cold breeze slammed the window open. Edward jumped. He had forgotten the entire reason he began yelling at his absent roommate. The broken window stood agape allowing a cold breeze to circulate through the room. The dorm room was freezing and without the proper tools, there was no way to close the window. Edward's mind had been so occupied by Dr. Maxis' instructions, that he had entirely forgotten about the window. At least he wasn't foolish enough to expect Desider to have it fixed.

Edward's throat was sore and agitated from sleeping with mucus draining from his nose and back into this throat. The cold January air that the broken window invited into the dorm certainly didn't help his nose to stop running. He coughed and wrapped his blanket around his body.

What should he do? Wait for Desider to come back? At least he could catch his roommate and question why he was gone all night. Or more temptingly, Edward could go back to sleep and try to warm up before he had to go to class.

A heavy guilt weighed on his shoulders as another option presented itself. With Desider away, Edward could search his roommate's belongings for evidence of his suspicions towards him.

The young man ran his fingers through his hair. He groaned. He didn't want to do this to Desider, but Dr. Maxis' threat was far too intimidating to ignore. Even with the amount of deutschmarks that Edward had inherited, the cost of moving, going to another college, and sustaining his daily needs would become outrageous and near impossible.

Achingly, he slid from his bed and onto the floor. The young man began by searching in the bed side table. He searched through folded shirts and pants. He checked the pages in every text book on the bottom portion of the bedside table.

He laid prone on the floor to check beneath their beds. He removed Desider's trunk out from under the bed and sat it on top. Edward inhaled deeply, bracing himself for what he might find. He wanted nothing more than to get the search over with. He threw open the trunk. It was mostly empty. It sheltered a comb, a bar of soap, his candy, and what were hopefully a few clean and not dirty pairs of socks. There were no compartments hidden in the dark red velvet lining.

Edward was becoming confident with his search. There weren't many places to look. The young man lifted the mattress. The sound of something hitting the floor came from under the bed.

 _Had he actually found something?_

With a tight feeling in his chest, he knelt down on the floor and peeked beneath the bed. On the floor, against the wall was Desider's black leather journal with his name in grey on the cover.

Edward remembered that Desider claimed that it was his journal where he kept his poetry and the drawings he had done of Edward naked. Hopefully he really was teasing him about the drawings. The young man couldn't decide which was worse. Discovering that the drawings actually did exist or finding evidence that Desider was aware of his actions.

With the black journal in his hands, Edward sat on floor and opened it to the first page.

 _"Merry Christmas, Desiderius._

 _Never stop writing poetry,_

 _no matter what others might think._

 _Love, Mama."_

Edward's hands shook. This was wrong. Desider was not a private person, but his journal was one thing he never truly shared with Edward. His mind was riddled with concern and questions. He knew the consequences for himself if he failed to find any evidence that Desider might have, but what would happen to Desider if Edward did find anything. Could Desider be expelled or harmed?

Unaware, Edward had turned to another page in the journal. He read the page:

 _"Reaching for you_

 _Is like trying to grab smoke._

 _And if by chance I catch you,_

 _It's likely I'll be burned_

 _By the fire that made you."_

What was this about? Surely it's a harmless poem...but what if it was about Edward? What if it was about Desider trying to catch him and his concern of the results?

Edward grabbed the journal Desider had gifted him for Christmas. He removed the pen tucked between the pages of Desider's journal and copied the poem into his own journal.

The young man's heart was racing. Paranoia and concern was consuming him. He skipped a few pages in Desider's journal.

 _Dear Journal,_

The next line was difficult to read and there was a tear in the page. It appeared that the pen Desider had used ran out of ink and the metal tip tore the page mid stroke. Edward continued reading:

 _It's hard to keep good pens around._

 _I swear every time I steal a pen from Papa's office,_

 _Mama finds out and takes it back._

 _Sorry about the tear._

 _I wonder if you were alive,_

 _would it hurt?_

 _Ha, I suppose it would._

 _Unless your pages are more like hair..._

Edward flipped to a page near the back of the book. _"This is stupid."_ He thought. Reading through Desider's journal was a waste of time. All that he had uncovered so far was Desider's poetry and that the strange blond wrote _to_ his journal _...literally._

The young man flipped further through the journal...

* * *

"I had no idea that he was ill." Rector Wittig stared down at the Letter of Admission that the two men presented him. Adolf and Bastian sat very stiffly across from the rector at his desk. They wore white lab coats over their dress shirts and ties. "Mr. Richtofen requested that his roommate not tell anyone. He didn't want to cause any concern."

"I see..." Rector Wittig bowed his head in thought as he tried to recall if he had ever noticed any peculiar behavior from Edward or if he had ever received a complaint.

"Doctor Thibaut has years of experience with patients who struggle with night terrors. He should be well in no time." Adolf assured the elderly man.

"Yes. Thank you, Nurse Kohl."

Adolf glared at Bastian from the corner of his eye. That bastard had given him the false alias of _"nurse"_ and _"Kohl"_ , meaning _cabbage._

Bastian smiled indirectly at Adolf, but he directed it to Rector Wittig. "Rector, my apologies that we cannot discuss Mr. Richtofen's ailment any further. We need to get him preferably before class starts, so as to not cause a scene."

"Yes, yes. Room thirty one on the third floor in the science facility." He gave Bastian a key to the dorm. "Please keep me informed about his condition."

"Of course. Thank you for your time, Rector Wittig." Bastian stood and shook the elderly man's hand.

"No, thank you, Doctor Schmidt." He shook Adolf's hand. "Nurse Kohl." Rector Wittig walked the two men to the door and pointed them in the right direction.

"Ass." Adolf hissed through gritted teeth at his accomplice.

"It's not important. It was the only name I could think of to put in the letter at the time. Now, I don't know about you, but I would like to complete this task and get back to my pipe very quickly."

The two men were silent the entire way to dorm room thirty one. When the two men stepped into the hall, Bastian sniffed the air and gawked at the grotesque smell of smoke lingering. The sooner they could leave, the better. He shoved the key into the lock, but Adolf grabbed his hand. "Shouldn't we knock?"

"We're not actual doctors, stupid. Adam said it was likely he wouldn't cooperate. We need to quickly force him into the straitjacket and exit the premise before anyone can notice."

Adolf stepped back and allowed Bastian to force the door open. The two men rushed in and grabbed Edward, who was frightened by the situation. Adam forced the straitjacket onto the disoriented young man and forced his arms to wrap around his torso. Bastian latched the leather belts on the back of the straitjacket. Edward opened his mouth to solicit their actions, but he was muzzled before he could even establish a question into his mind. They bent his legs at the knee and bound them with a belt on the back of the straitjacket. Last, they removed the pillow case from his pillow and awkwardly shoved it over his head.

Edward fell from his bed and rolled onto the floor. He laid face down as the two men reevaluated the reality of their plan. "We have to carry him down two flights of stairs?" Adolf looked to the larger man for an answer. "It's not like we can throw him out of the window." He snarled at the ignorant question. "You grab one side and I'll -"

Bastian ignored Adolf's suggestion and grabbed Edward. He tossed the young man over his shoulder and walked out of the dorm. "You don't think anyone will be suspicious? I don't think this is how doctors retrieve their patients."

"I doubt anyone will even notice. Can't you smell it? This hall is abhorrent with opium smoke. They'll be too lethargic to care."

The two men escaped the university with Edward, forced against his will.


	21. Chapter 21

**WARNING: The next few chapters are violent and could possibly be disturbing to some readers. The topic of "Thought Reform" or "Brainwashing" from an inexperienced point of view will be the main focus. I am not an expert on "Thought Reform". Everything I know is from basic research.**

* * *

 **Day I**

Edward was thrown onto the hard floor. He could hear a door close and then silence. His eyes remained blinded by the pillowcase and his body restrained by the straitjacket. The young man could feel his heart racing. It flooded his ears and overwhelmed his mind. He knew he needed to remain calm or he could possibly hyperventilate and pass out from the muzzle restricting his oxygen.

 ** _Where am I?!_**

 **What happened?!**

Edward screamed in his mind over and over. He couldn't make sense of the situation.

Restrained by the straitjacket, the young man was forced to lay on his arm. His elbow prevented him from rolling forward. His pelvis laid flat against the floor. His knees were bent and the strap on the back of the straitjacket restrained his ankles, awkwardly sustaining his feet in the air. The position was terribly uncomfortable, but Edward prioritized that it possibly wouldn't be so bad if he had some answers. His main concern was, _when_? Or _how long_ would it take?

* * *

It was...different...not having Edward around. The tall, brunette, and intelligent roommate that Desider always trailed after could no longer serve as his daily company. There were other students that the blond was acquainted with, but none of them were quite like Edward.

Desider's intellect paled in comparison to the young man he called his _"friend"_ , but that never discouraged the blond. He admired Edward's brilliance and not simply for cheating purposes. At the same time, he often wished that his roommate was... _simpler_. Then, perhaps Edward wouldn't feel the need to hide his feelings or rather than over analyse the most insignificant things, he could just enjoy life as it was.

 _Then again..._

That is what made Edward who he is. Desider reasoned that if it had been him who had lost his family, he would perhaps become even more careless. Or more accurately: reckless. The realisation of how short one's life could be and the little control we actually had over it would probably convince Desider to live every day as if it were his last... and that behaviour would likely bring his last day even sooner.

"Desiderius?" He could faintly hear someone snapping. A hand waved in front of his face and broke him from his thoughts. Desider's brunette dorm neighbor stood hunched in front of the blond. "Are you alright?" He roughly patted Desider's cheek until the blond focused his eyes on the man. "Yeah...just..thinking."

"I think he has a contact high." The dirty blonde haired man with the accordion suggested. He sat aside his instrument and opium pipe before joining Desider by his side. "Stand up, Desiderius. We need to get you some fresh air."

"Maybe I should have broken your window instead of mine and Edward's." Desider chuckled as the two men lead him out of the room.


	22. Chapter 22

**Day II**

Edward was hungry. He was sore from being on the floor for such a long time. He urgently needed to urinate. His brain was exhausted from trying to analyse his reason for being captured and left in this... _place._

A door opened and slammed shut. Edward could hear the lock on the door being turned. His heart pounded violently in his chest. His ankles were roughly grabbed and shackled by an unknown presence. Edward winced when a heavy weight was pushed onto his back. His feet dropped from the belt they were suspended from. The mysterious person forced Edward onto his knees as they removed the straitjacket along with his button up shirt. He felt a pair of hands hold him down as another set shackled his wrists behind his back. The young man heard a chain slither across the floor and clink when it was forced onto the shackles around his ankles. He was dragged and shoved against a wall where he was again, chained, but this time by his wrists. The pillowcase was forcefully ripped off of Edward's head and he was forced to stand against a wall. His vision was blurry. The faint lighting masked the stranger who stood before him in shadows.

Edward blinked to focus his vision. He heard a knocking. The door opened, closed, and then a lock was turned once more. The stranger's assistant had left...but how many _"assistants"_ did his captor actually have?

The young man shook his head to rid himself of the haze he was in. The stranger approached Edward and grabbed him by his jawline. Inches from his face, the masked stranger studied Edward's face in his hand. The young man would avert his eyes, but the mysterious person would only turn Edward's head back in his direction. He removed the young man's muzzle.

"Edward Richtofen. You are communicating with a dangerous egomaniac. Neither of you have intentions to improve the human condition. You only seek power for your own dissolute interests."

Edward was confused. Clearly, the man was speaking of Dr. Maxis and his cause, but Edward was not working with Dr. Maxis. Whether or not the young man would was still undecided.

"I am not collaborating with Dr. Maxis."

Edward, we have been watching you. You are a terrible person with ill intentions. You seek nothing but power and destruction and you will stop at nothing to fulfill your evil and corrupt ambitions."

"I have no corrupt ambitions!"

He slapped the young man's face.

"Edward Richtofen. You are communicating with a dangerous egomaniac. Neither of you have intentions to improve the human condition. You only seek power for your own dissolute interests. You are a terrible person with ill ambitions. You seek nothing but power and destruction and you will stop at nothing to fulfill your evil and corrupt plans."

Edward stared at the man in shock. The stranger had struct him across the face for arguing. The young man feared that the captor might become more violent if he continued to contradict the man, but how else could he defend himself against this misunderstanding?!

"Your morals and mind are both perverted with egocentric notions. You do not want to improve the human condition. You do not care for the well being of others. You only hurt those who are close to you."

"I have never harmed anyone!" Edward desperately spat through a broken and distorted breath. He was confused! And even less desirable, he was scared.

The man grabbed Edward by the back of his hair. He exerted the young man to look at him with little effort. "You are ignorant, naive, and foolish if you think your actions are without consequence." The man slapped Edward across his face one final time. He raised the bottom portion of his mask and spat on the young man's face before he left the room. The door opened, closed, and the sound of the lock tumbling echoed through the room.

 _ **What in God's name just happened?!**_

 _ **Who was that?!**_

Edward's mind was quickly filled with all of the thoughts he had before. He knew why he was here, well...sort of. The young man could conclude that it had something to do with Dr. Maxis. _"Neither of you have intentions to improve the human condition."_ The stranger was aware of Dr. Maxis' cause, but did not believe that the man truly anticipated to do as he claims.

With tired eyes, Edward looked around the room. The stone walls were derelict of any decorations and were filthy from years of neglect. The room was square. Edward was chained on one of the walls and the other three walls each had a wooden arch door. The three arch doors were clearly designed to confuse anyone who would attempt to escape this room. There was no telling what could be behind them. This room was obviously created to confine and confuse any unfortunate soul.

Exhausted, Edward managed to find the strength to try standing. Before he could stand at full height, the chains on his wrists jerked and stopped him. The chains forced him to remain in a cowering position.


	23. Chapter 23

**Day III**

The rays of sunlight broke over Heidelberg and the university bell chimed for all to hear. Desider laid in bed, staring absentmindedly at the ceiling. He was in Edward's bed. Through out night, even without his roommate crying in his sleep, Desider still woke with a sense of urgency to comfort his friend. At some time during the night, in a tired stupor, he must have crawled into Edward's bed thinking that he was going to help him.

Could he visit Edward? The Illuminati was just protecting him. There shouldn't be any restrictions against that. He would have to find out from Adam when the next gathering would be.

The room was so quiet. The solitude was absolutely destroying Desider. He got out of bed and grabbed a fresh shirt and pants as well as a few toiletries. Lifelessly, Desider walked down the hallway and entered the bathroom on the end. The blond smiled as he walked past the shower that he had ripped the curtain off of during their holiday vacation. What a mess that morning was. Desider showered and fondly recalled more positive thoughts.

After showering, Desider dressed himself and combed his hair in the mirror. He began to mix his shaving cream when a silly thought came to his mind. He brushed his hand over the little facial stubble he had. What if he decided to grow a mustache? Just like Edward's. Desider wondered what his roommate might have to say to that. However, simply growing a mustache wouldn't be sufficient alone to harass his friend. No. Obnoxiously, Desider would rave like a narcissist about how beautiful and lush it would be. He would tell Edward how no mustache could be as radiant and glorious! Haha! Edward will be so annoyed.

Desider applied the shaving cream to his face. It was a little thick and it dripped onto the sink, but no matter. There was a masterpiece to be created! Delicately, Desider scraped the razor against his cheek. He meticulously angled the blade to glide over his facial structure without cutting it. He rubbed his finger tips over the shaved half of his face...he had missed a few spots. Determined, the blond applied more of the shaving cream to his face.

Finally, he finished. Blobs of cream still clung to his skin, but Desider felt confident that he had sculpted the perfect mustache! He set his razor aside and washed off the remaining shaving cream. Excitedly, he looked into the mirror. His smile quickly changed into shock. The mustache that Desider had so carefully shaped was incredibly uneven! Uneven beyond the point of help! On the side of his face that he had shaved twice, the corner of his mustache was shaved at an angle that ended at his nostril! If he shaved the other side of his face to match, he would look absolutely ridiculous and incapable of handling something so simple as shaving! Of course, staring at the monstrosity he had created on his face wasn't very convincing against his incapability either.

"Dammit!" He swore out his frustration and stepped back from the mirror to view his mutilated mustache. His blonde facial hair was so light that the mustache wasn't even visible.

 _'You win this one, Edward.'_

Disappointed and defeated, Desider shaved off the remaining bit of his mustache massacre.

After Desider's failed fashion experience, he returned to the his dorm to gather his books for class. He entered the room and immediately slipped. Gravity: his one weakness. The blond sat up from his fall and saw at his feet an envelope. This was most like the culprit for his fall. The envelope didn't have any markings or a name on the surface. Intrigued, Desider opened the envelope. The writing inside was barely legible. Reading terrible handwriting: Desider's _other_ one weakness.

 _"I will be away for work. It is unlikely that I will return until the end of winter. "_

The letter was incredibly vague, but Desider sensed that it came from the bald man... Mertin Lawrenz...or something. If the man who was wanting to harm Edward would be away, couldn't he come back to college? Desider had to tell Adam the excellent news!


	24. Chapter 24

**Day VII?**

For the first time, Edward was presented with water. The masked stranger forced the water down the reluctant young man's throat using a cup. He was served the bare minimum of water needed survive.

The unknown man continued to torture the stability of Edward's mentality. "You are a terrible person." The stranger spat at the young man. "You are selfish." He stood inches from Edward's face. "You have impure intentions."

The attacks on Edward's identity came at all times of the day, he could assume. The visits were far too frequent to feel as if the came only came once a day, but without windows or any way to tell time, there was no way of knowing. However, within these stone walls, time had little or no value. There was nothing to look forward to. There was no way to know when the abuse would end. His confinement was limitless, but a part of Edward still wanted to know how many days he had suffered.

Edward leaned against the wall, still catching his breath from choking on the force fed water. Every breath sent sharp pains throughout his body. He was aching. The lack of sleep exhausted his brain. His thoughts were less coherent. He was disoriented and confused.

 _'By accepting Dr. Maxis' offer,_ _I would be accepting his cause to 'improve mankind'...and despite the trouble I had given him about 'not necessarily wanting to join'...who am I kidding...I want the opportunity. ..And if Dr. Maxis truly is as malicious as this man claims...then perhaps I am just as guilty...'_

"Your sins go beyond your selfish interests of cooperating with Ludvig Maxis." The masked man forced Edward's head back against the wall. The young man allowed it. He could barely stay awake to listen to the man. "I find it highly suspicious that your family would be murdered right before your very own eyes, yet you survive."

 _'How did he know that..?'_

"Where were you when it happened?"

The memory came immediately to Edward's mind, along with the answer. If surviving was a sin...then why did this feel like hell?

The man jerked the young man's head forward and then pushed it back against the wall. "Answer me."

"The closet."

"Like a coward you hid as your family was murdered. Selfishly, you saved yourself from the same fate."

 _Fate_...why did that word sound so peculiar?

"You are weak. You are apathetic towards anything that doesn't serve you. You neglect those who care for you because you are blinded by your own pride."

The masked man grabbed the pail of water that he had served Edward from and placed it by his side. "Agree with me that you are a coward."

Edward stared blankly at the man. As bold as the thought was, the young man knew that his captor wanted him alive. The masked man had forced Edward to drink the water, despite how much he resisted.

The man's eyes narrowed behind the mask. He forced Edward to tilt his head back and to look up at the ceiling. His captor removed a folded rag made of terry cloth from his pocket. He dunked the rag into the pail before placing it over the young man's nose and mouth. Edward tried to jerk the cloth away, but the man held his head firmly in his hand. With the cup, he slowly poured water over the young man's face. Edward held his breath and clenched his eyes shut. He squirmed and pulled at his chains, but it was futile.

The wet cloth plastered to his face, suffocating him. He watched Edward struggle for what felt like an eternity before he peeled the cloth away from the young man's face. "Agree with me that you are a coward." Edward glared at the man in response. Again, the man returned the terry cloth rag over the uncooperative individual's face and slowly, poured water over it. Edward managed to hold his breath and when he opened his eyes, another cup of water came crashing down onto his face. It was unexpected and too soon for the suffering young man to prepare for.

"Agree with me that you are a coward." The man demanded. Without giving Edward the opportunity to answer, the man slowly poured a third cup of water on his drenched face.

The man removed the rag slowly. He stared intimidatingly down upon Edward as he spat and gasped for oxygen. He was becoming short of breath. "Agree with me that you are a coward."

"I-!" He spat water away from his face, "Am a cowa-" he coughed, "Coward! **I am a coward!** "

"Agree with me that you are selfish." Without a reply, the man slammed the cloth back over the young man's nose and mouth before pouring more water over Edward's face. Water entered his mouth and nose through the cloth. Desperately, he attempted to inhale to cough, but the saturated cloth restricted him. "I am selfish!" The young man barely stifled though the cloth. Frightened and on the verge of suffocation, Edward felt his head becoming light; his vision distorted; his body trembled and his knees were weak, but his chains prevented him from falling.

"Agree with me that you and Dr. Maxis seek to fulfill your own dissolute interests." The mysterious man again, slowly peeled back the cloth.

"WE SE-" The masked man slowly poured water over Edward's face again. The water flooded his mouth and choked him. He swallowed and spat out as much of the water possible, but such actions occupied his mouth from completing other important functions, like breathing. The water wouldn't drain from his eyes in time for Edward to even bother opening them, so he never knew when the next cup of water would come.

"Maxis and I seek to fulfill our own dissolute interests!" He screamed, hoping that it would bring an end to his torture.

There was a moment of peace. The room was filled with the sound of Edward heaving and coughing while trying to catch his breath. Was it finally over? No...The man returned the cloth to its position before he lowered the cup and prepared the next scoop. Edward's heart was aggressively pounding in his chest. The excessive beating flooded his ears. He wanted to close his eyes, but he was too afraid to look away. His captor removed the cup from the pail and set it aside.

"Agree with me..." He raised the pail of remaining water over Edward's face. Water splashed over the edges and onto the pained young man's face. "Agree with me that you allowed your family to be murdered."

If the water didn't drown him first, the guilt he had concealed for so long would.


	25. Chapter 25

**Day IX** **-no. Wait... is it Day** **XI?**

A different door each day would open, but only the masked man would ever enter. Since day four...or maybe six... the mysterious man would enter, tell Edward that he was a terrible person and force him to agree to his sins with torture. Dousing the young man's face in water seemed to be the most preferable method, but sometimes the stranger would resort to merely punching, kicking, or slapping the pained individual.

Edward agreed to whatever the man wanted. He had suffered without resistance for days. What was he supposed to do?! Clearly, this agony and misery wasn't sufficient enough for repentance alone. What else could he do?!

With a final punch in Edward's abdomen, the man left the room through a door different than the one he entered through. The wooden door closed and the sound of a lock being turned echoed in the emptiness of the room. The stranger had enervated Edward. He was afraid to sleep. He was afraid to deny the man whatever he demanded. Only once, had Edward considered that the man might actually bestow death upon him. The young man had blacked out from the frequent short breaths in between the cups of water being poured on his face, but the stranger resuscitated him only to continue with his torture.

The agonised individual looked down at his bare chest. The bruises; the cuts; the blood and filth...it felt just as bad as it looked. He looked absolutely savage. He felt savage... once every few days he was fed and watered like a caged animal. He was walked by his chain to a corner of the room to urinate and defecate in. Once a day the man would clean the filth. It was humiliating at first, but what did it matter? He had been stripped of his agency, his dignity, and his identity. Why care about anything? He was worthless. A waste of air. Of all the disgusting and foul matter that inhabited the room, he was by far below it.

* * *

"No."

"Why not?" Desider gawked at Adam.

"If someone sees you going to where Edward is, it'll give away his location. He's safe, I promise. No one will find him. He's actually happy and I think we almost have him convinced that Ludvig Maxis is a dangerous man." Adam smiled.

As much as Desider didn't like it, it was best for Edward. "Can you give him his homework, at least? Oh, I brought his book for him to read also." The simple blond gave the brunette man the stack of papers and "Old Heidelberg".

Bastian stepped through one of the doors in the back of the pub. He removed his mask and the black robe that covered his actual clothing. His face was hardened and stern as if he was mentally suffering from a deep and emotional burden. He walked over to the table Desider and Adam were seated at. Bastian snatched his pipe off of the table and frantically lit it. "Why didn't you leave those down stairs?" Adam awkwardly inquired of the tall and broad shouldered man. "They need to dry."

"They smell like they could use a wash." Desider fanned away the distasteful aroma. "Perhaps you should tend to that now?" Adam rhetorically asked Bastian who was intelligent enough to take a hint. With the black robe and mask in hand, the broad shouldered man left the pub.

"What are those clothes for?" Desider couldn't conclude their purpose on his own.

"Special rituals...um..like business meetings? Your father wears a white coat to show that he's a doctor, yes?" Desider nodded. "Well, those are what we wear to show that we are members of our organisation." Adam glanced over at Adolf. He didn't expect the petite man to add any valuable input, but Adam relied on the man's expressions when he lied. Adolf would laugh or snidely snicker if a lie or explanation wasn't convincing enough. At least, Adam could say that Adolf was of some use to him.

"What do they discuss?"

Adolf bowed his head and smirked, anticipating Adam's reply. "You're still a class three member. You can't know that yet. Even I don't know everything that they discuss. Bastian was probably requested personally by The Circle. Never ask anyone about their discussion with The Circle. It is extremely classified." Desider nodded, but he had stopped listening. He was bored. Since the Illuminati started to protect Edward, Desider would go to their meetings in the pub, have a few drinks, and talk to Adam about...almost anything. However, no matter how often the two gentlemen talked or how many topics they discussed, Desider always felt distant from Adam. As if he would never truly know who the man was. An almost indescribable distance. Like, never knowing the name of your best friend. Or perhaps it was more like having a friend who knew everything about you, but you knew nothing about them. Awkward, but worse.

Desider finished his drink as he watched the two men at his table converse. He wasn't listening, but he watched their facial expressions and hand gestures. They were arguing. Adolf scowled at Adam and slammed his hand on the table before replying heatedly to whatever Adam had said. Desider would always feel distant from Adam, but at least their friendship wasn't as discordant.


	26. Chapter 26

**Day- is it a different day...?**

"How in the hell can you stand to sleep in here with that broken window?" Desider's dorm neighbor asked through chittering teeth.

"It's awful, but I can never remember to fix it."

"You say that as if you have better things to do!" The dirty blonde haired dorm neighbor unpacked his accordion case, containing vodka and schnapps.

"I've been busy."

"Bullshit! You've been sitting with us, getting indirectly high off of your ass!" The brunette man retorted.

"That's why we're finally sitting in the room with the broken window." Desider sat on the floor in between the two beds.

"By the way, you're taking the blame when your boyfriend gets pissed that the room smells like opium. Where is he, anyways?" The dirty blonde haired man passed Desider the bottle of vodka, allowing him the first drink.

"He's sick, so he went to the hospital." Desider awkwardly said with the lip of the bottle in his teeth. It wasn't anything he wanted to discuss.

"Ah...so he's finally been admitted. They call it a "loony bin" in America, right Desiderius?"

The blond glared at the brunette as he passed the bottle to him. "You know, you can be admitted for " _bad company"_ , right?"

"Don't be such an ass. What has Edward ever done to you?" The other man inquired as he wiped off his glasses on his shirt.

"He's arrogant."

"You're not?" The man with glasses scoffed at his roommate.

"I can't help it if I'm perfect." The brunette smirked then lit his opium pipe. Desider fanned away the plume of smoke with his hand. The man wearing glasses sat on Edward's bed once he closed his accordion case. He was a few years ahead of Desider, but the dirty blonde haired man didn't appear to be much older. "Do you miss Edward?" He fondly asked Desider.

"Of course he does! Without him, he's probably failing most of his classes!" The brunette chuckled. Despite his immature behaviour, he was clearly the oldest man in the room.

"Yes!" Desider smiled. "But I miss him for other reasons, as well. He's my friend."

"What is your fondest memory of him?" The second oldest man in the room inquired.

Desider tilted his head back and studied the ceiling in thought. "I don't know. I have a few." The blond chuckled. "Probably some that he would disagree with being _fond_."

"We'll come back to that one." The brunette man waved his hand to dismiss the question. "Have you ever really pissed him off?"

"You're so negative..." The other man sighed and adjusted his glasses.

"Which time?" Desider laughed at the shock on the other men's faces. Intrigued, they leaned forward in their seats. "Well, I think I made him the most upset when I went to comfort him...I made him blush too, so that probably really angered him."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" The older man frantically waved his hands to cease the blond from talking. "That isn't how you tell a story! You have to say everything that happened!"

"With details! What did you do to make him blush?!" The other man added.

"Well, you both know about Edward's night shrieks. He was having a particularly rough night and I didn't want to wake him up." Desider rubbed his arm with his hand. Perhaps, this wasn't the best anecdote to share. "I went to comfort him- and you know, by holding him I could m-muffle the screams i-in-into my shirt," that sounded a little better, right? "and instead of getting back to my own bed, I fell sleep."

The brunette snickered into the bottle of vodka as he tilted it into his mouth. The dirty blonde haired man gawked at Desider. "Did he blush when he discovered you?"

"No! He attacked me! He pushed me to the floor and held me down!"

The older man exploded into an obnoxious and boisterous laugh. "That gawky maladroit held _you_ down?! You're _at least_ half of his size and you couldn't fight him off, Desiderius?!"

"You're such an ass." Desider said under an exasperated breath. Frustrated, he continued. "I explained what happened and that was it."

"You're a good friend, Desiderius." The man with glasses smiled down at the blond on the floor. "Don't mind him. He's much more tolerable when the opium becomes effective."

"What about you two then? Or are you two always too high to have any issues?"

"No. We certainly have our share of discrepancies." The older man aimed a finger at his roommate. "That dummkopf insists on playing the accordion while he smokes. He can't play it in the first place and he only gets worse with every puff."

"It's true." His roommate apathetically smiled. "However, this wonderful gentleman you see before you, practically had us living in the student prison our first year of college."

"It wasn't entirely my fault."

"You ran into Rector Wittig's office, partially nude, and attempted to piss in the grandfather clock, but he caught you."

"Please say you were drunk." Desider stared at the brunette as he hesitated to answer.

"Hardly," He finally replied. "But I did it because a group of older class men had put me up to the task."

"It was my idea, so I was sentenced to the prison as well." The dirty blonde haired man smiled, but he didn't appear to fond of the memory. "Fortunately, we would never do something like that to you, Desiderius." Behind his circular framed glasses, the man turned his head to his roommate and scowled. The brunette loosely bobbed his head up and down. "Ya, ya... Of course...unless you wanted to."

"Why would I want to?"

"Eternal glory."

"No! No! We agreed that we wouldn't do this!" The dirty blonde haired man threw Edward's pillow at his roommate.

"Do what?!" Desider sprang to his knees. His curiosity was getting the best of him again.

"We're almost done with this place, can't we just leave on a positive note?!"

"Just tell me what you wanted me to do first?!" Desider was on his knees, pleading for the older class men to tell him his evil deed. The room was ominously silent.

"Actually..." The man who opposed the idea just moments ago had a mischievous smile slowly crawl along his face. "Desiderius is fairly demented on his own. Let him decide."

* * *

 **A/N:** Due to popular request, I have given Edward and Desider's terrible influential dorm neighbors another two chapters (that I know of for now) and a little information about them.

The two dorm neighbors were originally included in the fanfic as an Easter Egg for anyone who decided to do research on Heidelberg University (Germany) 1900's. While researching, I found a very unique photo of two gentlemen, sitting in their dorm at Heidelberg University, smoking two very long opium pipes. One of the men appears to have light colored hair, glasses, and he is holding an accordion. The other man is a brunette and he is laying in bed. **I do not own this photo** and because the two dorm neighbors are loosely based around actual people **(only in appearance)** , I decided not to name them. After completing their debut in _chapter 7_ , I liked how well the absence or the _"negligence"_ of knowing their names played into Desider's careless and relaxed personality.

 **Heidelberg University Opium** /Google Image. I definitely recommend checking it out just because it's a neat little glimpse into student life from nearly 100 years ago.

 **\- High:** The word _"high"_ was used to describe someone who was drunk as early as 1620. However, it wasn't used to describe someone euphoric by drugs until 1932. Strangely, I can't find a word to describe someone in this state dating past the 1930's, but the usage and growth of opium dates back to 3,400 B.C.


	27. Chapter 27

**Day... _I don't care..._**

For hours he wept uncontrollable sobs. The constant physical abuse made him weak, but the guilt; the attack on his morality, consumed his strength completely.

The tormented young man cringed as his captor raised a fist to strike him. "You suffer because you are a terrible person. You are in pain because of your own decisions." The stranger stepped past the afflicted individual who was unworthy of his own name. "But I can help you." His captor released his wrists from the chain that shackled him to the wall. The lowly soul fell to his knees. His hands were still shackled behind his back, but he had been given the ability to sit. The afflicted young man's joints ached. He couldn't stand, but he wouldn't even if he could. The cold and hard wooden floor was so comforting and inviting. The privilege was invigorating. He trembled. The plagued individual looked to his captor in astonishment. Had he finally done something worthy of such a gift?!

"You can help yourself." With desperate blue eyes, the prisoner looked up to his captor. "You are not in pain because of your physical afflictions. You suffer because of your sins." The filthy one clung to every word that the masked man spoke. Perhaps, his captor would finally offer his salvation.

 _Yes, of course! If it were not for my sins, I wouldn't be here!_

 _The burden of my heedless actions have finally been recognised as wrong!_

In a twisted sense, the enlightened young man felt that his captor had saved him from possibly the worse sin of all: Working with Dr. Maxis...

"Confess to me your sins."

Obediently, the weakling confessed. "My ambitions are dissolute. Ludvig Maxis is a dangerous man with impure intentions and by cooperating with him, I am no better. I am a coward. I allowed my family to die... I am a terrible person."

"You do not have to cooperate with Ludvig Maxis. You can do what is right and help me stop his corrupt actions. It is the only way you can repent for your sins."

The agonised individual stared at the man in the black robe. "You allowed your family to die, but by stopping Maxis, you will save millions. You need me to help you, but you can help yourself. Doing what is right is the only way you will end your pain. Until you make the right decision...you will be in pain."

The eager young man nodded vigorously at the cloaked stranger, hoping for the opportunity to prove himself righteous, but instead the mysterious figured left through one of the three arched doors. The sound of a lock turning, echoed throughout the room, and then silence.

Yes! This is what he needed to do! This man had helped him by giving him the agency to sit and stand as he pleased! This...this was his opportunity to return the favor and to do the right thing!


	28. Chapter 28

The classroom was silent with the exception of Professor Voss' voice droning in the background of Desider's thoughts. He impatiently tapped his pen on a blank sheet of paper in thought as he flipped through his poetry journal for inspiration. Skipping past his older poems and on to his more recent, Desider's eyes scanned through a few lines of each poem. The blond could vaguely remember what his previous works were about just from a few words, but none of them provided a scintilla of inspiration.

 _"Reaching for you,_

 _is like trying to grab smo-."_

 _"I wrote this terrible poem back at the Gymnasium!"_ Desider turned the page and quickly read the first line.

 _"There once was a chemist-"_

No! Easily, he could turn this poem in for his assignment, but for some reason- that Desider couldn't even explain to himself, he wanted a new poem. Something unique and complex. Displeased, he turned the page...It was blank. The blond blinked as the realisation came to him: He had only written one poem down in his journal during his entire stay at Heidelberg University. The blond sat back in his seat and reflected for a moment.

Seldom, Desider struggled with writing down a simple poem. Why was it so difficult all of a sudden? The blond rubbed his temples with the tip of his index and middle fingers. _"Write what you know."_ He instructed himself. "What have you been through this week?" Desider pondered the question. Instantly, his two opium addicted dorm neighbors came to mind.

 _"They sit in their classes,_

 _high off of their asses."_

 _"Shit, no! I can't turn that in for my assignment!"_ His thoughts were in a fog. A fog denser than any they could create... Desider grinned a devilish grin as he stroked his chin in thought.

 ** _Fog_**

The word forced its way through his discordant thoughts like sunlight through clouds. Desider had finally decided what he wanted to do for his prank. All he needed were a few simple materials.

The bell chimed, dismissing the class and startling Desider. He groaned, realising that he had neglected his assignment, which resulted in him tearing a poem from his journal and turning it in.

Desider hastily left the classroom to search for his dorm neighbors, but they were eagerly waiting outside of his classroom.

"So, what has our little pupil come up with?" Desider's brunette dorm neighbor wrapped his arm over the blond's shoulders. The man wearing glasses wrapped his arm over Desider's shoulders from the other side. Their "pupil" could feel the pressure- physically and metaphorically with the weight of their arms over his shoulders.

"Pupil? What are you mentoring to me to call me that?"

"We're teaching how to successfully do a prank."

"You weren't successfu-!" Desider stopped his sentence abruptly when he heard the dirty blonde haired man speaking.

"I hope whatever your plan is, it has an escape." The man with glasses looked down on Desider from the corner of his eye.

"If everything goes accordingly, we won't really need one."

"Ooh, our little Desiderius really has decided to assay eternal glory." The brunette man smiled wickedly.

Desider stepped around a corner and pulled the two down to his height by the collars of their shirts. "I need help getting the materials."

"Desiderius, we're performing a prank, not a crime."

"I need gunpowder." The blond interjected.

"There might be a shop in town." The older roommate suggested.

"Tin foil, sugar, baking soda, matches, and paper." Desider added.

The man with glasses nodded, but he didn't appear any eager than before to complete the prank. "Might I ask why you decided to do a smoke bomb prank?"

"Because," Desider said with a smirk. He exchanged a look with the two men standing in front of him purely for dramatic effect. "I'm a scientist."

The two dorm mates looked at one another and nodded, agreeing; somehow accepting that as a legitimate reason.

"We take three smoke bombs each and light them. The fuse should be long enough to give us one minute to light them and escape. Just as everyone is returning to class from the cafeteria, the bombs will start to smoke, and flood the classrooms!"

"When you do you want to do this?"

"Friday seems appropriate." Desider waited for a response from one of the two men. The brunette was the first to speak. "That gives us two days to acquire the materials. Today, we should go out and gather the supply and tomorrow we'll actually assemble the smoke bombs."

"There's still one...issue." The blond furrowed his brows, feeling a bit guilty for neglecting to mention this sooner. "The sugar has to be cooked. So, we also need a frying pan and place to cook."

The oldest of the three stared and grinned at his dorm neighbor who was tenaciously avoiding his gaze, despite feeling those deep brown eyes staring into him. Eventually, the dirty blonde haired man surrendered. "Don't worry about that. I have a solution."

"How-" Desider was interrupted by the brunette. "I have do a few errands in town, so I don't mind getting the gunpowder and sugar and..."

Desider tore a page from his journal and quickly wrote down the list of materials before giving the paper to the older man along with payment for the supplies.

"We'll keep the items in our dorm for tonight." The man with glasses said with a quick smile before disbanding.


	29. Chapter 29

Desider had never felt so distracted before. He couldn't focus during any of his classes. All that the blond could think of was where they would set the smoke bombs and the shock on everyone's face when they entered their classes only to discover the room to be smothered in a huge cloud of smoke! The more he thought about it, the more uncertain he felt about the prank. Desider wasn't certain how everyone would react to the prank. It was seemingly harmless. Someone would open a window and the smoke would clear. How harmful was that?

Desider stared at the ceiling in his dorm, waiting for a knock at the door. It was nearly dark outside. Perhaps, his two accomplices had forgotten about the prank and decided that they rather spend the night getting high...that was rude to think, but probably true.

The door quietly creaked open and the two dorm neighbors quietly entered. Their arms were full with the desired supplies. Desider took the tin foil and placed it on the floor. He sat next to it and eagerly folded a small box out of the tin foil and showed it to the brunette. "You'll stay here and make these. When you're done, I need you to take this paper and roll the gunpowder in it." The blond demonstrated. The oldest man shrugged and began to awkwardly fold the tin foil into boxes.

"Desider you'll come with me." The man with glasses quickly shoved the bag of sugar into his coat and gave Desider the bag of baking soda and what was remaining of the gunpowder to carry.

Nervously, Desider followed his dorm neighbor down dark courridors, down the stairs, and into the cafeteria. They stopped at the kitchen door. The dirty blond fidgeted in his pocket. He removed a tension wrench from it, but dropped it. The tension wrench made a soft metalic clank as it hit the floor. The man's hands were shaking from the adrenaline. Desider picked up the tension wrench from the floor. "Just tell me what to do."

The other man sighed and nodded. "Put it in here." He pointed at the bottom of the lock with a quivering finger. "Then turn it which ever way it will go." Desider did just as he instructed. The lock cliked and clinked as the tension wrench was pushed into place. "Now, take this and put it all the way to the back of the lock." The glasses wearing man gave the short hook to the blond. "Push the pin upwards with the short hook until you hear it click."

"How the hell am I supposed to know what the pin is and how do you know how to do this?"

"You'll feel it when you get it, but you'll also hear it click. My father is a locksmith. We haven't owned a house key in years." He softly grinned.

The first pin clicked once it was cleared. "Excellent. Move on to the next one. There are hopefully only two pins." Desider fidgeted with the lock once more until the lock cleared and the door popped open. He removed the short hook and tension wrench and held them out for the man with glasses to take, but instead he walked past Desider. Briskly, he pocketed the tools and entered after his accomplice.

The two quickly tossed the sugar and baking soda onto the counter along with the gunpowder. The dirty blonde haired man supplied the stove with wood and lit it. Desider placed the frying pan on the stove and poured the sugar into it.

Desider carefully stirred the sugar and gunpowder until it became a warm brown color. He poured the baking soda into the frying pan, blending his concoction.

"Desiderius.. How are we supposed to get this back to the dorm room?"

The blond looked from the man and to the frying pan in his hand. He didn't think that through..at all... it had never even occured to him... no consideration what so ev-

"We take the frying pan!" Without any further discussion, Desider walked out of the kitchen with the frying pan in hand.

"No! That's evid- Desider!" There was no point in whispering to call after the blond. He would simply have to think of a way to return the frying pan without suspicion.

* * *

"How many did you make?!" Desider ungracefully stepped over the carefully handcrafted tin foil boxes with their gun powder fuses.

"I got bored..."

"We only need nine." Desider started to pour the contents of the frying pan into each tin foil box.

The dirty blonde haired man quietly ran into the room and closed the door behind him. "Desider, we can't have that frying pan! If they decide to search the dorms, we'll get caught!"

"No one is going to search the dorms! However, if it concerns you that much," The brunette man made a motion with his hand as if he was smoothing out the air. "I'll handle it."

"You'll return it?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"Don't worry about it."

"I swear, if you don't take care of that by tomorrow morning, Ot-"

"If he doesn't return it, then I'll take care of it!" Desider stepped between the two to silence their quarreling. "We'll flush what's left of the sugar and the baking soda down the toilets tonight, we'll return the frying pan tomorrow, and tomorrow we light the smoke bombs at approximately 1:05 p.m." The two agreed with the plan. Desider gave each of them one ingredient to carry as they quietly left to flush them in the toilets.


	30. Chapter 30

12:54 _**Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap**_ **.** 12:55 _T **aptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap...**_

Desider couldn't sit still. If he wasn't obnoxiously tapping his foot, he was fidgeting with whatever he could get his hands on. The blond was anxious to get the prank over with. He didn't care for doing any of the work, he simply wanted to see how people would react. The more Desider mauled the image over and over of everyone reacting in his head, the less significant the prank felt. He could imagine the professors opening the door to their classrooms, gawk in shock at the smoke, and wait for it to clear. The plan was rather pathetic, but it was too late to turn back now.

The Coo-Coo clock on the wall struct 1:00 p.m. and simultaneously, the students stood from their seats to return their dishes to the kitchen. Meanwhile, Desider slipped out into the hallway. He ran up the stairs, discovering that his two accomplices were already in position. They revealed their smoke bombs from their pockets upon his arrival. "Did you take of frying pan?" The brunette furrowed his brows and pierced his lips as he glanced around the hallway before pulling Desider and the dirty blonde haired man over to a window. He pointed to an object off in the distance of the courtyard.

"Good Lord...You threw it out of the window?!"

"Shhhh! Shut up! I got rid of it, didn't I?!"

"We don't have time! We have to light these things, NOW!" Desider ran between the two dorm mates and into his chemistry classroom that was conveniently placed in the center of the hallway. The glasses wearing man ran into the classroom at one end of the hallway and the oldest man went into the classroom at the opposite end.

Desider placed one smoke bomb in the center of the room, and two by the entrance, so the smoke would appear more opaque. He struct the match and lit the fuse on all three of the smoke bombs. Quickly, he ran out of the chemistry classroom and down the hallway. His dorm neighbors caught up to him just in time. The boisterous sound of talking and footsteps were quickly approaching. "If we run, we can make it down the stairs, across the first story and end up at the back of the line, so it looks like we were there all alo-"

 _ **"FIRE!"**_

A student screamed just as they opened one of the classroom doors and smoke began to flood the hallway. All of the inhabitants of the hallway were immediately sent into a sense of panic. Students pushed and ran past one another to escape the invasion of grey smoke- thought to be caused by a fire. Desider's heart sank. He looked to his right to exchange a look of fear with the two dorm mates, but they had been engulfed by the swarm of hysterical students.

* * *

A man of the fire brigade calmly approached Rector Wittig and placed the remains of one of the smoke bombs in his hand. "It's a smoke bomb. There was never a fire and there is no damage. Just a stupid prank." Rector Wittig examined the remains in his hands. He nodded. "Thank you for your services." The elderly man said without taking his eyes away from the smoke bomb. The fireman shook his head as he walked away. Rector Wittig smiled. He was clearly delighted that someone would be clever enough to create such an item and he was impressed that someone would take the time to craft them...all for a prank. However, the part he marveled most, was not having to clean his clock.

"You sent the entire school into a panic and got us out of class. Lovely." The brunette patted Desider roughly on the shoulder, but the blond ignored him. He couldn't take his eyes away from the university. He sat on the grass in front of the large building- staring at the window that belonged to his chemistry class. "That wasn't the reaction I expected."


	31. Chapter 31

Desider didn't want to go to the Illuminati meetings any longer. He could no longer see their purpose and the atmosphere had become anxious and pessimistic. For the last few meetings he had attended, Desider sat at a table with Adam, Adolf, and occasionally, Bastian.

The blond would fade in and out of the heated conversation about politics between Adam and Adolf. They would constantly refer to the French Revolution and something about being involved, but that was ridiculous. Even Desider knew the French Revolution happened over one hundred years ago! The two squabbling men were older than him, but not that old! The blond smiled and shook his head. He decided to focus his attention on Bastian instead. The large man with broad shoulders anxiously smoked his pipe. He seemed to be smoking more than when Desider had first met him. The Austrian had always been the quietest of the three, but now there was an eerie and solemn presence about him.

Bastian finished his drink and emptied his pipe into the ash tray on the table. Desider watched the burly man take his mug in a shaky hand and return it to the bar tender before he briskly walked to the door in the back of the room and disappeared.

 _What is he doing back there?_

Curiosity had Desider at the edge of his seat. Or perhaps it was the opportunity to escape his boredom. No, it was definitely both. He studied the room. The blond had always assumed there were way more people occupying the tavern. Perhaps, the Illuminati wasn't as grand as he thought. With a shrug Desider waited until the bar tender turned his back away from the crowed before slipping past the man and through the door at the back of the room.

Behind the door was a narrow stairway that trailed off into the darkness of the corridor. Desider took a lit candle from the wall and held it near the floor. He carefully walked down the stone steps. The harsh beating of his heart shook his hand. Hot wax dripped down the tapper candle and onto his fingers, but he ignored it. Desider was determined to reach the end of the hallway. Why would The Circle and Bastian want to discuss anything down here? It was cold and dark and damp and smelled awful.

Desider reached the foot of the stairs. He walked down the new hallway. At the end were three more hallways which all seemed to be leading in various directions. Frustrated, Desider ran his fingers through his hair. Why was there this elaborate labyrinth beneath this simple pub?! Perhaps this is why the Illuminati had chosen this place for their gatherings? And if that were true, why? What was down here?

"Which way should I go?" Desider started to walk to the hallway on his right. No. That felt wrong. The anxious blond approached the hallway on his left. No, that felt too easy. "Dammit..." He couldn't make up his mind. "Oh!" He smiled as an idea came to his mind. Desider covered his eyes with one hand and he held the other hand with the candle out in front of him. He spun around a few times and stopped. He opened his eyes...He was pointing at a wall between two of the hallways. "UUGGHHhhhh!"

 _This way. Just go this way._

Desider walked down the hallway of his first choice. It felt so long and continuous. The lack of lighting made it difficult to gauge the distance he had walked and if there would even be an end...this better not be a dead end.

Eventually, Desider came to a door at the end of the hallway. A soft light emitted from the skeleton key hole on the door. He could hear voices muffled behind the heavy wooden door. Quietly, the blond peered through the key hole.

"It's not me...?"

"Your beliefs are wrong."

 _Those voices...That's Bastian and Edward! What are they doing down here?! Where is The Circle?_

Desider pressed his eye against the lock, attempting to see more of the room. Barely, he could see a gaunt and filthy man on his hands and knees looking up to a tall man wearing a black robe.

"I can stop Maxis. I can save millions of lives in place of my family's!" Edward smiled weakly at the stranger.

 _No..._

 _That can't be Edward._

 _I know his voice, but_

 _..._

 _What have they done?_

 _..._

 _What have I done?_

Desider looked away from the lock and clenched his eyes shut. He felt so foolish and betrayed. The Illuminati had taken advantage of him just so they could get their hands on Edward...but _why_?

Pained by his actions, the Illuminati, and the sight of his friend, Desider felt obligated to do something. Angrily, he stood and violently banged his fist on the door. "Edward!" He screamed. He pulled on the door knob, but it was locked. **_"Edward! Bastian, let me in!"_** Desider kicked and banged on the solid wood door. **_"Edw-!"_** Desider was pushed against the wall, the candle fell from his hand. He couldn't see. The blond was forced face down on to the floor. He kicked and squirmed against his attackers. "He's at the West Door!" One of the voices yelled down the hallway. The voice was unfamiliar, but the second one was not. It belonged to Adam. "I told you not to come down here!" He wrestled against the blond who managed to fight his way to his knees.

"What have you done to Edward?!" He demanded. The light of a lantern flooded the hallway and four other men came rushing into the small area. It all happened so quickly. One of the six men in the room forced him onto his back. He placed his foot on the center of the blond's chest. Four others grabbed his arms and legs and held them to the floor. Desider jerked his head every which way to see his attackers. His eyes stopped on Adam. "You lied to me." The bastard wouldn't look at him. Desider growled and fought desperately to escape.

The sixth man carefully approached Desider with a chloroform laced cloth in his hand. "Grab his head!" Adolf demanded. The sixth man forcefully held Desider's head in place. He slammed the white cloth against the distraught blond's face until he began to relax. The cloth was soaking wet and it smelled vaguely sweet.

Shortly after, Desider's body began to relax. His muscles were too fatigued to continue their stifle. His eyelids became heavy and his mind was impercise. Eventually, Desider lost consciousness and the six men carried his limp body back to the main floor.

Meanwhile, Bastian was seething at the entire incident. The simple banging and knocking from the door was evidence- a reminder of the outside world and based on the look on Edward's face, a part of his original mentality was returning. His thought reform process overall, was a success. However, Bastian could never be certain until it was proven. If Edward cooperated as a double agent for the Illuminati, perhaps they could discover classified information that Ludvig Maxis contained. Until the opportunity presented itself, there was no point in keeping Edward here...especially after Desider had interrupted.

Bastian blinked, he realised that he had been staring at a bewildered Edward in silence. He studied the young man chained before him. Was Edward gawking at him because he had been staring at him in silence? Or was it because of the commotion that took place outside of the room? It didn't matter. Either way, Bastian needed to dispose of the young man before he lost control of him.

Bastian quickly left the room and fabricated a plan in his mind to return Edward back to Heidelberg University with little suspicion. He and Adam would return him first thing in the morning when the streets of Heidelberg were less active. Desider would have been responsible for Edward staying in the dorm to "recover", but Desider...

He knew...

He knew too much...

And Bastian was the one liable. The one time he forgets to lock the door in the pub and Desider decides to become "curious"...hopefully it was the "one time". Actually, when Bastian thought about it, he felt that it was probably not the only time he had forgotten to lock that door. This particular experience, pained and distracted the man personally. Bastian was used to making men break before him into desperate masses of despair and confusion. He had torn down the mental walls of men who kept their minds in steal traps. All that Edward had suffered, was an experience all to familiar to Bastian. Despite those past memories and all of his years watching men who had collapse and writhe before him, Edward was the youngest. Torturing the young man who was clearly not much older than his own son, weighed heavily on the man's conscious...and Desider would probably be next.

Bastian tossed the black robe onto the floor. He made certain to lock the door to the room that Edward was in before he went down the long winding hallway and back to the pub above ground.

* * *

 **A/N:** It is _rumored_ that the Illuminati might have been involved with the French Revolution.

 **-** There is no evidence supporting that the Illuminati ever used torture as an interrogation method. Several sites also suggest that the organisation was **NOT** secretive and openly attempted to recruit members.

 **-** **Hey, it's been awhile!** Sorry if you've missed the supporting quotes and facts! I really didn't want to provide details into "Thought Reform" because it's a lot of information and it gets kind of depressing. Surprisingly, there isn't a lot of information available about first hand torture experiences, so I had to be creative and use personal and common terrifying experiences- like drowning(water boarding)...also, every step in the process you experience to some extent at school (not home school necessarily). You're told when and when you can't go to the bathroom (controlling agency) and you're having information/another person's way of thinking pushed onto you (thought reform). So yeah, that's pretty much why I've been quiet for so long. HOWEVER, thanks to the lovely new maps, Zetsubou no Shima and Gorod Krovi finally having their audio files released, I have **TONS OF EXCITING QUOTES** to work with and I hope you all enjoy upcoming chapters!

 **If you're not entirely caught up on the actual Zombies story line, you might not want to read the next few sentence s.**

So, I don't truly have any quotes supporting that Richtofen was ever tortured by the Illuminati, but there are quotes supporting that he been captured by them. There is also evidence that Richtofen2.0 had been instructed to kill Dr. Maxis. Recent information suggests that Dr. Richtofen had sworn to protect Dr. Maxis. There are quotes from both characters that omnisciently hints that they are referring to one another. In Gorod Krovi (CODBO3) there is a quote from Dr. Monty saying, "...it's not like you owe him (Dr. Maxis) for anything... is it?"

If this is accurate, then why would you attempt to kill someone you swore to protect? The Illuminati would have had to do something pretty traumatic...


	32. Chapter 32

The sound of a lock being turned echoed throughout the room, allowing Edward a moment to rest before...he could only imagine. The door creaked open. Panic flooded his body. Edward cringed, terrified by the intruder, but he couldn't look away. Desider entered the room. He moved silently over to Edward. The young man never felt the chains leave his wrists, but some how, Desider pulled the confined young man away by his arm.

"This way." Desider dragged Edward through one of the three arched doors and down the dark corridor. They were submerged in complete darkness, but Edward felt confident that he knew the way to escape. He groped the low ceiling anticipating to discover a manhole. The young man's hands discovered a metallic texture. Desider quickly assisted Edward with pushing on the cover until a light peeked through.

They climbed through the small hole revealed by the manhole cover. Edward observed the room they entered. It was the student prison. He escaped one prison and had entered another one.. but why was his prison beneath the university? Edward looked back at the hole they entered through. It was concealed by a wooden trap door. It looked out of place on the stone floor. How could no one have ever noticed it?

 _I need to tell someone._

Edward walked with Desider to his chemistry class. He wasn't certain why he felt the need to escort his roommate, but the young man felt this uncomfortable urgency to be there. He felt so out of place. As the young man walked through the halls, he thought of how noisy the students were at this particular time of the day, but whenever he tried to focus on the source, all that could be heard was silence. Edward shook his head in attempt to shake away this groggy and distant feeling.

Desider pulled open the door to the chemistry classroom. As the blonde reached for the door, Edward noticed a short chain hanging from Desider's wrist. The young man attempted to grab his roommate's shoulder, but he entered the class before Edward had the opportunity.

The chemistry classroom was in a chaos of scattered books. Everywhere, books adorned with dark coloured covers, lay in tact in peculiar positions; draped over chairs; faced down on the floor; opened and laying on their spine.

Desider nonchalantly stepped on the books until he neared a desk. He hesitated and immediately went to another. It was the same desk that Edward and Maxis had sat at before. Desider pulled a chair away from the desk for Edward to sit in. The chain on the blond's wrists gently slithered across the back of the seat until it dangled from his wrist. Carefully, Edward approached him. "Desider?" He took the seat that was offered before him. His peculiar roommate took the seat next to the young man. The blond shamelessly displayed the chain on the desk- paying no mind to it. "Why do you have that?" Edward asked, awkwardly pointing at the chain with his finger. Desider blatantly ignored the young man and continued to stare in the direction of Edward, but... he didn't seem to be looking directly at him.

 _Where is everyone?_

"The professor's science project seems to have scared everyone away."

"What was the project?" That would explain why the classroom has been destroyed. Edward thought to himself.

"We should stay in here. To be safe." Desider smiled in the direction of Edward, but... _still_...where was he _actually_ looking?

Edward glanced over the blond's shoulder. The door to the classroom was standing wide open. It didn't feel very safe or wise to take refuge in a room from some unknown science experiment when the door was wide open.

Desider glanced at Edward and turned his head towards the front of the class. "If we are staying in here, I'll close the door then." Edward stood from his seat and approached the door.

 _Something is there._

Edward reached for the door knob just as the unknown presence leaped out from behind the door and attacked him. Desperately, the young man attempted to force the door close. The door was unbudging. Balanced between Edward and the attacker, the young man took advantage of the peace to peer through the crack of the door. A chain was caught in the gap. The young man's eyes traced the length of the chain. At one end a large black dog held it firmly in his teeth and the other end of the chain was connected to Edward's wrist. He needed to be freed from this chain! "Desider!" Edward frantically called out to his roommate who appeared oblivious to the commotion and struggle happening just behind his back. "Just ignore it and it'll go away. Like it never happened."

 _Go away._

Edward glared at Desider for his useless advice. The blond pulled Edward to his feet and opened the door, freeing the chain attached to Edward's wrist.

 _The door._

A nervous panic overwhelmed the young man. He didn't feel comfortable having that door open.

 _It's coming._

The black dog returned, rushing through the door way at Edward.

 _Fight!_

Narrowly, he avoided the dog and ran to the professor's desk at the front of the classroom. Edward remembered the box containing the scalpel that Dr. Maxis had given him to dissect the sow. Quickly, the young man ripped open the drawer and removed a blade. It was his only choice. Other than the single blade, the drawer was empty.

Edward returned his attention to the large man dressed in the black robe.

 ** _Could I actually kill a man?_**

The young man studied the dark figure before him. He couldn't even decide how to get near him. Edward couldn't see his eyes, but he knew he was being scrutinised beneath that black mask. He didn't like it. To be studied like some science experiment by some stranger.

"I will dissect you... as you have done to me!" Edward ran at the man, brandishing the small blade in his hand. As the young man went to slash that damn infuriating mask off of his captor's face, he felt all of his strength leave his arm. The man in black watched Edward, apathetically. The bastard didn't even flinch! Why didn't he fear Edward?! Was his captor so pompous that he felt confident that he could not bleed?! "I demand that you bleed for me!" Edward went to attack the man again, but his body became weak. The blade merely brushed the mask to the side, revealing a slight hint of a white beard.

 _Maxis..._

The large man in the black robe grabbed Edward by the front of his shirt. Edward looked down at the man's hand and noticed opaque grey water pooling on the floor. He didn't feel wet to have even noticed. After a moment of gazing at the floor, the stranger pushed Edward- forcing him to walk backwards until his back was abruptly stopped. The man forced the young man to lean back through the frame of a broken window.

 _Push_

The man in the black robe pushed Edward through the window.

The young man screamed...

but there was only silence.

* * *

Edward's body slammed into the mattress. His eyes sprang wide open. The sheets of his bed were clenched in his hands tightly, turning his knuckles white. The young man frantically sat up in his bed and scanned the room with his eyes. He was back in his dorm. He was back at Heidelberg University. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there or when. His suffering was just a dream? It felt as if it had never happened, but his memories told him it was all too real.

Edward pulled away the covers and stood from his bed. His clothes were clean and gently wrinkled from being slept in and his body felt... sort of clean. He ran his fingers through his hair and exhaled a sigh. He was confused, but at least he wasn't back in that room. Perhaps he could relax and evaluate his memories more properly if he showered. With a fresh change of clothes and his shoes, Edward went to the showers.

It felt so real. The memories were so vivid. His body could feel the afflictions he remembered, but it wasn't necessarily uncommon for the mind to cause pain if someone truly felt or believed they were injured even if they were never physically harmed.

Edward placed his shoes by the base of the shower. He deduced that the mental afflictions made the experience feel real, but why didn't it feel as if it actually happened? Puzzled, the young man stepped into the shower and removed his clothes.

"Perhaps it doesn't feel as if it happened because the entire situation didn't make sense...I was forced there because..."

Edward bowed his head and ran his hands over his face. The friction of his hands pulling on his face felt almost as if it was stretching- it was refreshing. His palms tugged on his eyebrows, pulling his eyes open. Upside down, written in a mysterious substance on his lower torso read,

 ** _"WE'RE WATCHING"_**

And that, felt all too real.

* * *

 **A/N:** I used a site called "Dreammoods" to translate all of the symbolism in this chapter. I've used this site for years and I trust it- even if you don't necessarily believe in _"that kind of thing"_ , you would be surprised how the translations usually relate to each other. I also translated some of the main items from the Call of Duty story line (like the Hellhounds/black dogs and the Teddy Bear) and they very much relate to the plot.


	33. Chapter 33

Nearly fifteen years of lying, torturing, working his ass off, and sucking up to any member in The Circle, Bastian was demoted from Master, Class II to Illuminotis minor, Class I. He was almost worthy of being a Class III, Priest, but in a single night by a single person, that was all taken away from him. Bastian bared his teeth at the memory.

 _"Please allow him to be my prisoner, at least."_

 _The Circle laughed upon his request. "You'll kill the boy! Absolutely not! You're too close to the subject." The large man spoke without acknowledging the opinion of the other two men at his table._

 _"Engelbert!"_

 _The man raised his hand to silence Bastian, but he insisted that he provide his reason. "Who else will see Desider's punishment through?! I will teach him to respect his peers and make certain that he continues to follow our orders!"_

 _"There isn't time to reform his thoughts."_

 _"One night. I beg you."_

 _The two men sitting on either side of Engelbert stared at Bastian with interest. There was no doubting his capabilities, but could he truly transform someone into complete obedience in a single night? If so, perhaps the Illuminati could improve their methods to save time and even cost._

 _The Circle exchanged glances among themselves before turning to Bastian. "Understand, Bastian...that killing Desiderius could raise suspicion of our organisation. I'm certain that the death of a university student wouldn't go unknown by his peers, professors, and parents."_

 _"Yes, yes." Bastian nodded anxiously._

 _"Which will result in_ _ **permanent**_ _termination for you..."_

The tall man smiled viciously down upon Desider who was tied in a chair. Bastian had gotten his way...and he was going to make certain that it stayed that way. The boy had to be returned to the university first thing in the morning, so he couldn't leave any marks, but that wouldn't stop him from doing his worse.

Bastian placed thin splintered pieces of wood beneath Desider's fingernails. He pressed down on the wood, pulling and ripping the nail away from the flesh slowly.

"Say it!"

"I will not go into forbidden areas!" Desider fought back a scream as the wood pryed away the fingernail. The little blood that came from each digit was barely satisfying and Bastian was growing bored his this technique. Desperately, the man wanted to hear Desider cry the words, "I will not ruin other's hard work," but no.. he wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he completely destroyed fifteen years of work!

Desider's agonised cries broke his train of thought. He smiled, feeling that he was finally making him feel just as miserable as he felt. What was next? What wouldn't leave a mark?! Bastian pushed Desider's chair onto it's back before stepping over to his work table. He studied the devices laid out in front of him on the small table. He took Heretic's Fork into his hand and studied the tool. No, he wanted to hear Desider scream and plead for help and he didn't have enough time for it to fulfill its purpose. He examined the Lead Sprinkler and his crocodile sheers, but both devices needed fire in order to be most effective. Finally, his eyes reached a particular favourite; the pilliwink would crush whatever phalanges he desired. However, crushing anything would provide a reasonable amount of evidence. Bastian gripped the handle firmly in his fist as he reasoned with the tool. He agreed that he could use the tool to crush and bruise the boy's fingers and toes and that would be much less apparent than actually breaking anything.

Bastian removed Desider's shoe and threw it at the blond's face. The man slipped Desider's toes through the jaws of the pilliwink. Desider screamed, begging him stop. Tears streaked his face and flooded his eyes as he desperately tried to look away from Bastian, but that wasn't enough to stop him. The broad shouldered man began to twist the wingnuts on the device until it was gently pressing into the flesh on his toes.

"Bastian, please." Desider sobbed.

"You will remember this with every step you take." He twisted the wingnuts. He could hear the blond's bones pop and crack from the pressure. "And next time, you'll think twice about going into places that you're not allowed!" Bastian turned the wingnuts on the pilliwink. Desider's toes cracked a final time before they began to turn blue. The young man sobbed between his cries out in agony.

Bastian wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. The torture devices would undoubtedly make the right impression on his subject, but this was personal. The brutish man knelt next to Desider and entangled his fingers within his hair. Using the blond's hair, he slammed the young man's head into the hard floor. "Damn Adam for ever bringing you here! The pacifist! The target had always been Edward! You were supposed to merely be a tool to getting him AND YOU COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT!" Bastian jerked Desider's head around by his hair. "You're useless! Even your father said so!" The man released the blond who stared at Bastian out of the corner of his eyes. He flinched every time the aggressive man moved. "You don't- " His voice broke. "You don't know my father." He was trembling. He could barely speak coherently above a whisper. Bastian maliciously chuckled. "Everyone knows Walter, Desiderius." Bastian stood and kicked Desider on the side of his ribs. "He's surrounded by people who are the very definition of insanity and he still can't say one kind thing about his son. He says being a poet should be good enough of a reason to be admitted; wasting their time with pens and paper and feelings when they should be doing something far more productive with their time." Bastian spat on Desider's face. He could see the confusion and pain swelling in the boy's naive blue eyes. "Don't be so foolish to think that I'm the only one he's said this to."

The brute removed the pilliwink from Desider's toes, releasing the throbbing pressure. Desider gasped and violently kicked as if he could simply escape the pain. Bastian pried the boy's middle fingers away from the arm rest of the chair. When he discovered the writer's bump on the finger that belonged to his right hand, Bastian slipped the pilliwink between Desider's index and middle finger. Desider would remember this pain every time he attempted to write one of his pathetic poems.

Bastian began to wind the wingnuts until they lowered the metal bar that would crush the boy's fingers...but he stopped. The bruise that the pilliwink left would be far too obvious there. The man swore under his breath at his damn limitations.

A knock came from one of the three doors. Bastian had ran out of time. He had to return Desider to the university before anyone had time to notice his absence. He wanted more time. He wanted to know that Desider would be miserable even after he was released!

A brilliant idea came to the man's mind. He rushed over to his bag- careful not to reveal its contents. Bastian removed two bottles of Castor Oil and peeled off their labels. He studied the two identical bottles in his hands, feeling confident that even a doctor's son couldn't recognise them.

Bastian sat the two bottles on the floor next to Desider before picking the knocked-over chair up from the floor. The blond's eyes were blood shot red from tears. He trembled as Bastian stared down upon him with a smile as forgiving as the plague.

"I will release you, but first...a game." Bastian held the two bottles out in front of Desider. "The contents in one of these bottles will kill you. The other one, is harmless...Choose your fate, Thibaut."

Tears slowly strolled down the blond's cheeks. He had made so many ignorant mistakes that caused him to be involved with the Illuminati, his friend to be captured, and now, tied to a chair, tortured and miserable.

"I know which bottle is which. Choose before I choose for you." Bastian's face remained emotionless as he stared into Deisder's broken blue eyes.

"The left."

Bastian opened the bottle and seized Desider by his nose- clamping it shut between his fingers. He tilted the blond's head back. Desider attempted to close his mouth and hold his breath, but the effort was futile as long as Bastian blocked oxygen from his nose. He gasped for air and Bastian forced the substance of the bottle down the boy's throat. The broad shouldered man continued to hold the blond's nose, so he couldn't taste the castor oil and recognise it.

Bastian removed the bottle from Desider's mouth and released his hair. The blond looked around the room in shock. He was alive! H-had he possibly made the right decision?!

"The poison is slow. You won't notice any immediate side effects. However, a promise is a promise. I will release you, but know that I will be watching you, Thibaut. If you say a word to anyone, I will not let you free so easily."

"How do I know?" Desider weakly cried out mid sob. Bastian chuckled. "When you're dying? You'll begin to vomit. Then, you will feel completely fine...just when you think you've won my game, you will die." Bastian returned the bottles to his bag and returned with a chloroform soaked rag. "You will know in time." He smothered Desider's mouth and nose with the rag. "Just before it's too late." Desider fought against Bastian, but succumbing to the dreamless state was inevitable.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **\- Heretic's Fork:** The metal device has two prongs on either end and is secured to the neck with a leather "forked" ends rested between the victim's breast bone and throat, preventing them from talking for falling asleep without enduring great pain. Heretic's Fork caused sleep deprivation, which eventually lead the victim to confessing.

 **\- Pilliwink:** (I probably chose it because it's fun to say) a small medieval Europe torture device that was used for crushing thumbs, fingers, or toes. By twisting the wingnut the bar on the vice was lowered until it crushed the victim's apendages.

 **\- Lead Sprinkler:** This tool was often filled with molten metals. The small holes on the end of the Lead Sprinkler would allow the scorching hot substance to be sprinkled on the victim.

 **\- Crocodile Sheers** : Beautifully designed in the head of a crocodile, these shears were used to "bite off" fingers, toes, or the victim's penis. Often, the shears were placed in a fire until they were bright red and ready to use.

 **\- Castor Oil** : Commonly used in the early 19th century to punish children because of it's awful taste. The oil is also used as a laxative, rotary engine lubricate, vomit inducer, and more famously, Fascist Italy used castor oil to punish and humiliate their opponents. Large ingesting amounts can cause dehydration and even death.

 ***Sorry for the late post!** Friday (09/02/16) I wasn't able to post because the wonderful weather put the power out off and on throughout the day. Saturday- Monday I couldn't get the page to load and Tuesday I had work. It has been crazy, but I'm glad to **finally** post chapter 33!


	34. Chapter 34

Edward exited the bathroom. The message left on his exposed torso had been washed away by the shower water, but it still bared its ugly message in the young man's head. He didn't know what to do.

Edward's shoulder bumped into something, knocking him off balance, and causing him to fall to the floor. He quickly looked up. Rector Wittig stood before him with an outstretched hand. "Edward, I was just coming to see how you were doing. You don't look so well for someone who just returned from the hospital." The elderly man helped Edward to his feet.

Hospital? What if this is a test? What if the rector was actually involved with the mysterious man and wanted to see if Edward would tell the truth?!

"I'm still recovering, but the doctor said I was well enough to return to my daily activities."

"Perhaps, you should get some rest today. Stay in bed. As soon as I see Desider, I'll inform him that he should support you getting your rest! But for the meanwhile, Ludvig is looking for you."

Horror struct Edward as he recalled the black cloaked figure in his dream. "He just returned from his trip last night and he said that it is urgent that he speaks to you!"

If Dr. Maxis had been absent at Heidelberg University...then could he possibly have been the one torturing Edward? His memories were scattered, but he felt that the man in the black cloak was much taller and had a bulkier build than the older and much shorter doctor.

A scream was heard from down the hallway and was followed by an awful gut wrenching sound. Desider came from their dorm, running down the hallway. He stopped when he saw that Edward and Rector Wittig was blocking his path to the bathroom. Desider looked at the two in a panicked and embarrassed horror. His lap was covered in vomit.

"Um... actually, you should both get your bed rest and consider going to class tomorrow. Desider, go wash up." Rector Wittig pointed over his shoulder to the bathrooms. Desider shamefully walked past the two men. "As for you Edward, I'll inform Ludvig that you're in your do-"

"I'm sure whatever Dr. Maxis needs me for won't take up too much time."

Rector Wittig hesitated. He pierced his lips and knitted his brows together. He knew if either he or Edward dared to explain to Ludvig that Edward was incapable of going to the man, for whatever reason, that Maxis would possibly be condescending and brash towards the young man.

"Very well. He's in his office."

Edward quickly nodded and rushed down the hallway.

Meanwhile, Desider sat on the bathroom floor with his knees drawn to his chest. He silently cried as he tried to estimate how much longer he would have to live now that Bastian's poison was finally manifesting itself.

"Just as soon as you think you've won...you will die."

He had made the wrong decision...and now it was too late. Desider tried to reason that, "at least it couldn't get any worse." But he knew it could get worse. Once he was dead, there would be no one to protect Edward- not that he had been doing very well in the first place, but no one would know that the Illuminati was after him. The blond wiped away the mixture of sweat and tears away from his face. He couldn't let Bastian or the Illuminati win.

* * *

"I appologise, Dr. Maxis, but I would like to respectfully decline your offer."

"I see." Dr. Maxis tightened the muscles in his face to hide that he was surprised that anyone would have the audacity to reject him. "Well, I don't typically give anyone a second chance, but I will not officially be departing until tomorrow morning."

Edward nodded and left Dr. Maxis' office. It pained him to decline the opportunity to travel and have work years before he graduated, but with that peculiar and dangerous group watching after him...the young man didn't know who he could really trust. If the man captured him because he was communicating with Dr. Maxis, then it was probably best to keep his distance.

As Rector Wittig had instructed him, Edward went back to his dorm to recover from his "hospital" stay. He opened the door to his dorm and his coat was thrown at him. "We're skipping school today!" Desider beamed his idiotic smile at Edward.

"We were both given the day off. You can't skip it if you don't have it." Edward scowled at the blond and tossed the coat on his bed. "Rector Wittig wants us to get our rest. It was his judgement that you were ill...I simply thought you were hungover." The young man mumbled that last part as he crawled into bed.

"I was sick! Now, I'm not. Come on, Eddie!"

Edward shot Desider an ugly look for his name choice.

"I haven't seen you in months; the weather is lovely; we have the day off; let's go somewhere!"

"Where?"

"I don't know...a journey! Can you honestly say that out of all of the years you've lived here in Heidelberg, that you have been to every place? We can try the coffee at every cafe in town."

"You really don't need any more coffee."

"Edward, please! It's your first day back and I just want you to enjoy it! When is the last time you did anything just for the hell of it?"

Edward immediately recalled a time when he was a child . He caught fire to the carpet while using a magnifying glass, assisted by the harsh sunbeams that streamed through the window of their home. He knew what would probably happen, but a theory is merely a theory until it's tested...

"Fine, but can we study first? I need refresh myself since I've been away at the hospital for so long."

"Hospital?" Desider thought to himself. "Did Edward honestly believe that he was away at a hospital this entire time or was this his way of coping with what happened?

"Sure, whatever you like." Desider bared a desolate grin.

As Edward gathered his notebook and medical text book, the blond grabbed the lock pick tools from beneath his pillow and slipped them into his pocket. Before his roommate had the opportunity to see this, Desider quickly grabbed his journal. "I'll just write in my journal while you're taking notes."

"I didn't ask." Was on the tip of Edward's tongue, but he decided to keep the remark to himself and instead followed Desider out of the dorm.

* * *

The air was warm and the plants were beginning to blossom, as they should in Spring. The warmth of the sunlight on Edward's pale skin was comforting, like seeing an old friend. The beautiful streets of Heidelberg were very much alive, with people and sounds. Children played in the streets, either skipping rope or playing tag until the opportunity to pet a coachman's horse arrived.

Desider and Edward sat at a table outside of a small cafe. The blond swirled his coffee with his spoon, occasionally glancing up at Edward who sat across from him. The young man was quietly pouring over his books. He hadn't even taken a sip of his coffee yet.

"Edward, your coffee is getting cold." Desider whined.

"I thought you were going to quietly write poetry while I studied, but instead, you insist on watching me."

"I never said anything about being quiet and I've been looking at the fountain as well." Desider pointed to the town's centerpiece. "I know you strive to do well in college, but don't you think you should...just enjoy the moment?" Desider meekly asked.

"I need to utilise my time wisely now, so that I can enjoy future moments."

"Future moments.." Desider thought. He cared little for them since he knew that as long as the Illuminati was near, the two would forever be tormented. However, after today, that would no longer be of concern. Speaking of concerns...Edward wouldn't be needing those boring books.

"Well, while you think about 'future moments', I'm going to ponder my hypothesis involving paper and that fountain." Desider tauntingly smiled, knowing that Edward couldn't resist inquiring the details of this so called hypothesis.

Edward begrudgingly averted his eyes away from his notes. He arched a brow at the blond, knowing that Desider would refuse to leave him alone until he played his petty game. "What is your hypothesis, Desider?" He asked in a stringent tone.

"Paper is made out of wood, correct?"

"Yes." Edward humored the blond.

"Wood floats, yes?"

The young man sighed, admitting to himself that it was his own fault for allowing Desider to waste his time. "No." He returned his attention to his notes.

"Wood doesn't float?"

"That doesn't mean paper will!"

"Have you ever tested it?!"

"No!"

"Then the question remains! And we are obligated to test it because-"

"Please don't."

"WE'RE SCIENTISTS!" Desider quickly reached across the table and snatched away Edward's note book along with his own journal.

"Desider!"

With a limp, the blond managed to run over to the fountain and dumped the notebook containing the loose sheets of paper over the fountain. Pages scattered everywhere. Some were swept into the streets by a gentle spring breeze while other sheets managed to find refuge in the fountain's water.

Edward was too frantic to even interrogate his idiot roommate. Desperately, he chased the pages closest to him. The loud sound of paper ripping made his heart stop. Was Desider shredding the remaining bit of his notes?! Edward promptly faced the sound. Desider was ripping the pages from his own journal. The young man observed the blond. He appeared upset... sad or angry. He aggressively removed the pages, grabbing them in his fist and throwing them in the direction of the fountain. This was peculiar...even for Desider.

Edward ran over to Desider and grabbed his fist full of papers. Startled, the blond softened his glare. His brows furrowed and he lowered his hand. "I'm certain you wouldn't use your poetry journal just to solve our discrepancy."

The blond hesitated before managing a nod. "It's beneath me. I'm done with poetry. I need to focus on the future and more important things...like what you're doing."

Perhaps, they both deserved a day...a normal day to enjoy. Abstractly, Edward managed a smile. He rolled up his sleeves and his pant legs before removing his shoes and socks. Curiously, Desider watched as the young man stepped over the side of the fountain and waded into the water. "As you can see, paper doesn't float. At least, not for long." Edward grabbed a handful of the soggy papers and gave them to Desider. As soon as the blond turned his back towards to fountain to retrieve any nearby pages, the young man wrapped his arms around the blond's torso.

"But you do."

In an instant, Edward pulled Desider into the fountain. The water was cold despite the warm breeze and sunlight that greeted the day. Desider quickly surfaced from the shallow water. He sat neck deep in the fountain's water. He stared at Edward, astonished. His pedantic roommate was smiling childishly at the blond. With a smile, Desider reached an outstretched hand for Edward to help him up. The once austere young man, vacuously accepted the blond's hand. Desider pulled Edward down into the water. He laughed manically when the young man surfacing from the water resembled a drenched rat. Edward splashed the water, purposely causing it to splash into Desider's mouth. The blond turned and spewed the water back into Edward's face. The young man mentally cringed. It was still a bit too soon to be reminded of his waterboarding experience...

"What are you two doing?!" An officer stood over the two soaking roommates. He reached down to assist them out of the fountain.

"A wind blew and the pages of my journal went into the fountain!"

"I don't care! Don't let me see either of you in that fountain again!" The two young men nodded. Desider waited until the officer was at a distance from where Edward stood before approaching him again.

"Wait right here. I'll be right back." Desider briefly looked at Edward before running after the officer. "Excuse me! Officer!" Desider stood very close to the man to make certain that no one else could hear him. "I need your help."

The officer studied the dripping wet blond. "There's an organisation that's at large. They're called the Illuminati. They want to control the world a- a-and look at what one of them did to my foot!" Desider slipped his shoe and sock off, displaying the bruise that the pilliwink left. The officer looked down at the bruise and nodded. He stooped down to the blond's height.

"That is definitely the work of Bastian. You're Adam's apprentice, aren't you? That sheltered and over-privileged university student."

Desider took a step back, recognising the man from previous meetings. The officer was a member. The man's beady eyes burned into Desider as his tone became grave.

"I will keep this very simple for you. That bruise happened when you were drunk. You got too close to the road and a carriage ran your foot over. If you even try to tell another soul, I will find out and I will see to it that you are dead before sundown...do I make myself clear?"

Desider nodded. He slipped his foot back into his shoe and slowly stepped backwards until he felt it was safe to turn his back to the man. He returned to Edward who was holding his text book, notebook and Desider's journal.

"Why did you show the officer your foot?"

"Something in the fountain had hurt my foot and I wanted to let him know that people might be throwing hazardous material into it." The blond lied as to not concern Edward, but he continued to scruitinise his movements regardless.

Desider did his best to pretend that his injury was nonexistent, "I'm fine, honestly! Watch!" He awkwardly attempted to conceal his limp while running over to a group of children skipping rope. The children paused and watched him curiously, eager to see a grown man play their childish game. Desider ushered them to continue turning the rope. The two girls turning the rope exchanged glances and giggled. They gleefully turned the rope. The childish blond found his rhythm and jumped in, successfully jumping over the rope. The oldest rope turner, who was a girl, began singing an American rhyme in English.

 _"Lizzie Borden took an axe_

 _She gave her mother forty whacks,_

 _After she saw what she had done,_

 _She gave her father forty-one._

 _Lizzie Borden got away,_

 _For her crime she did not pay._

 _Yesterday in Old-"_

The rope smacked into his shins. "You lose!" She giggled.

"Zat rhyme is almost as old as me! Are you not a little young to know who Lizzie Borden is?!" Desider teased her in English the best he could. She giggled and replied to him in English. "Everyone in America knows that rhyme!"

"Ja, I suppose zhey do." He awkwardly chuckled realising he had learned the rhyme during his visit in America.

She smiled and held the end of the rope out to Desider. "I'll be happy to turn for you!" He took the rope into his hand. "Edward, your turn is next!" He called in German.

Edward's eyes widened. Desider wasn't serious, was he? He stepped back, feeling something small bump into his side. Edward turned to discover a little girl with long brunette braids. She was quietly standing next to him, fiddling with a crown made of flowers in her hands.

Edward felt obligated to say something to her. After all, in a street full of people, she had selected him to stand so close to. However, despite the urgency that he felt to speak to her, he was always concerned that anything he would say or do would cause the child to cry.

Edward watched as Desider seemed to be oblivious to the injury on his foot. He made it look so simple...then again, Desider was relatively oblivious to most of the things in his environment. Was that how the blond always managed to remain so happy? Is ignorance truly bliss?

"Be oblivious." He told himself. "Don't over analyse your situation...Be...ignorant."Edward awkwardly smiled down upon the small child by his side.

"You can go next if you would like." He spoke kindly to her. She timidly looked up at him only using her eyes and shook her head. "Why not?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not very good at it. I tried to play with brother, but I'm not good at his games either."

Excellent work, Edward. Shall we continue to point out what else she is useless at?

"What's that in your hands?"

"It's a crown." She held it up for him to see. "I made it myself!"

"You must be very creative and work well with your hands!" Edward recalled his teachers and occasionally his mother telling him that as a child whenever he showed them whatever he was tinkering with or making for his own entertainment.

"Come here!" She beamed at him while bouncing where she stood. Edward knelt next to the small girl. She stood on the tips of her toes and placed the floral crown upon his head.

"Nice hat, Edward!" Desider called out to him.

 _"Little boat,_

 _little boat_

 _Sail to Holland,_

 _The waves beat high, high._

 _The Empress of China,_

 _Born EDWARD,_

 _Got on a ladder,_

 _Higher and even higher!"_

Edward sighed and turned to the child who knew he was being teased. "I promise to wear it all day." She hugged the young man, nearly knocking him off balance. Edward returned the hug. The little girl happily skipped off to collect more wild flowers.

"Whew! You two are really good at skipping rope!" Desider exaggerated his fatigue. "I think we should get going! We have a lot to explore!"

"Aw, one more?!" They begged.

"Not today! Princess Edward and I have a lot to do!"

Edward glared at the man who had the audacity to tease him just after he skipped rope like a little girl.

The two roommates ventured further into Heidelberg, walking in no particular direction.

"I'm impressed. I didn't expect you to talk to that child. None the less, make her cry."

"What makes you say that?" Edward inquired. Desider shrugged his shoulders.

"I just can't see it being in your nature. I suppose I always imagined that children would pose as a nuisance to you."

Edward turned his head away from Desider to conceal his cheeks flushing. "It might astonish you, but I've always wanted a child of my own."

"That's a frightening thought." Desider scoffed. "Any child that you raise will be just as boring as you! I guess it's up to Uncle Desider to teach them how to have fun."

"Uncle?" He inquired sardonically.

"Certainly! Every visit I'll start of by saying, "Eddie Junior, what are three things your parents won't allow you to do?" Then we will proceed."

Edward sighed and shook his head. "Fortunately, I have time to gain some distance from you before I have to worry about that."

"Do you intend to leave Heidelberg?"

Edward hesitated, recalling that he had rejected Dr. Maxis' offer. Now, he wasn't entirely certain if he would ever leave Heidelberg. "Some day, perhaps. As for now, I'll be finishing my classes at Heidelberg." Then again, Edward had no idea who his captor was or how close to the university he lived, but it wasn't like he could simply afford to move away at the moment either.

"You look upset." Desider placed his hand on the young man's shoulder, but he immediately jerked away.

"I have a lot on my mind." Paranoia was beginning to infest the darker recesses of his mind. The uncomfortable sensation of being watched and the desire to escape what could only be described as mental claustrophobia-a nonexistent pressure was crushing his brain. The walls were closing all around him. The walls... **thewalls** are **watching** him his evermove **they know** hisname

 **"Edward!"** Desider shook the young man by his shoulders. Fear and guilt swam in the pupils of his eyes. "Don't worry. We don't have talk about it."

"We should get back to the university."

"Edward, you're fine! We should do something to get whatever is bothering you off of your mind." Desider studied their location for anything to distract Edward. Eventually, he noticed the violin playing nearby. "Let's find out where that music is coming from. Perhaps it's something interesting." Desider eagerly pulled Edward in the direction of the sound.

In front of the theater a middle aged man with short black hair played the violin to attract oncoming passers to read the posters for the play that was being performed that night. Desider tossed two gold Marks into the violinist's hat and continued past the man and towards the posters. Edward observed the violinist peer into his hat at the Marks. His eyes grew wide and the young man swore he heard the performer skip a note, but the song was unfamiliar to him.

"Edward! It's the play Hans told us about! We can finally see it! Just don't ruin the ending while we're waiting since you've read it already and you have to react the same as if you're unfamiliar with the play."

"It'll be as if I never read it." His tone was unintentionally more honest than sarcastic. "It begins just before nightfall, so we have some time." He adjusted the books in his arms. He had become so used to carrying them that they felt as if they had become a part of him. "We can return our books to the dorm as well." Edward glanced to his side where Desider had been previously standing, but the blond had wandered back over to the violinist. The young man once again joined his roommate by his side.

"If he takes requests, will you dance?"

Edward hesitated to respond. "I- I don't know how." It wasn't often that one discovered a man his age who was incapable of dancing. It was supposed to be something that all gentlemen knew.

"I can teach you a few simple Polka steps." Desider stepped in front of Edward. He removed the books from the young man's arms, sat them on the ground, and then grabbed Edward's hands. He awkwardly pulled the unwilling partner into the proper stance to begin.

"Not in front of all these people!" He quietly scolded the more than eager blond. The young man pulled away just as Desider moved his injured foot, causing Edward to step on it. Desider cried out in pain. He immediately hobbled over to the street side away from the crowd and sat down to hold his foot. Edward grabbed their books from the ground and approached the blond.

"I barely stepped on you! Certainly it can't be that bad!"

Desider shook his head and spoke through gritted teeth. "it's the foot...ughhh... I injured earlier." He crossed his legs and shook the injured foot as if it would remedy his pain. Edward knelt down in front of the miserable blond and aggressively took his foot and removed the shoe and sock from it. "It'll be fine! I just need a moment!" Desider tried to pull his foot away, but it was too painful.

"What caused this?!" Edward examined the top portion of Desider's foot. It was a dark and ugly bruise that caused his toes to swell and turn a light shade of blue. Edward immediately examined Desider's shoe. "There isn't a scuff mark or tare in your shoe, so how did anything in the fountain cause this? You were limping this morning! How did you manage to put a shoe on over this?"

''Painfully!"

"I'm being serious, Desider! Was it this bad before you put the shoe on? You might have something broken!" He scorned the idiot. "What did you do?"

Desider recalled his conversation with the officer from earlier that day and the lie he was recommended to tell. "I was out late with a few friends. We had a few drinks and when I hailed a cabriolet, I was standing too close to the road and the wheel ran over my foot. It didn't look this bad this morning and I have been walking on it all day, so..."

"Just leave your shoe off and we'll wait until the play begins." The blond nodded and slipped his foot back into his sock. "Why did you say it was something in the fountain that had done this?"

Desider shrugged. "I was ashamed." He managed a half-truth. He was indeed ashamed to admit to Edward the truth behind the injury...and their entire situation. He cupped his toes in his hand to warm them. The silence between he and Edward at least made him feel confident in his lie.

They observed people coming and going from the theater. Some stopped to listen to the violinist play one melody after the other while others went on their way. As Edward sat in silence, studying the faces of all of passed and comparing their structure to the man in the black robe who captured him, Desider silently formulated a plan that would end this mess with the Illuminati. He wanted to crawl into a corner and cry as he searched his thoughts for another solution, but he honestly knew that he and Edward alone would be no match for the large organisation. There was no where for them to run and hiding seemed damn near impossible if they were willing to go so far as to capture Edward from their dorm in Heidelberg. Not only that, but with the poison coursing through his body, Desider knew he wouldn't have long. He felt his stomach ache more aggressively than it had been all day. He assumed that it was the poison making him feel ill, but he knew that the guilt and depression he had could also be to blame. He stood to find a toilet. The urge to vomit was occurring less often, but what did that mean? Would it be a sign to the end of it or a sign that the worse had yet to come.

Edward called after Desider, but he ignored him and continued towards the shop, hoping they had a toilet.

It wasn't long before the doors to the theater opened. The crowd of people excitedly entered to purchase their tickets and the violinist appeared more than grateful to collect his tips and enter the building. Edward waited in line to purchase his ticket. When he reached the counter, a young lady close to his age greeted him. "Two, please." He adjusted the books to one arm, so that he could have a hand available to take the tickets.

She smiled as she spoke. "One for you and...is this one for a special girl?" Her eyes glanced to the attractive lady who was standing in line behind him. "I can't think of a more romantic play to see."

"Ah-no. Ah no-no, actually."

"Well, then." She grinned devilishly as she propped her head upon her hands. "If you're not with anyone, I know what you can do with that other ticket."

"Oh, you went ahead and got the tickets!" Desider had finally returned. He smiled to the young lady at the counter. "Hello, lovely evening! Come on, they're probably starting!" The desk attendant gawked at Edward as Desider dragged him away into the auditorium.

They took their seats in the room dimly lit by lamps and the play began...

* * *

For a play that Edward could never imagine himself reading, he did rather enjoy watching it. It was sweet seeing the prince fall in love with a simple yet charming and invigorating girl. The suspense of knowing if the prince would sacrifice his position on the throne for his true love... As engaged as Edward was with the plot, at least he didn't cry...like Desider.

"W-why did he have to choose to abandon his country or-" he sobbed. "Or his true love?!" He wiped his face on his sleeve. "Couldn't someone else had become king?!"

"He couldn't abandon his country for his own selfish desires."

"Love isn't selfish!" He sniffled. "Couldn't he have taken with her with him?!"

Edward sighed, realising that arguing with Desider in this over emotional state- "Get off me!"

"Sorry, I just needed a hug."

...Would be absolutely futile...

It wasn't until they were outside of the theater before Desider managed to pull himself together.

"Are you stable enough to go back to the dorm, now?" Edward asked apathetically.

With a final sharp breath, he wiped his eyes and nodded. "Ya, but I want to show you something before we go back. It's this way." He waved Edward in the direction he was heading- a direction opposite from the university.

They walked in silence with the the occasional exception of Desider giving directions. On the outskirt of Heidelberg, they reached a small wooden pub. "It's in here." The blond peered through the windows into the vacant building before ushering Edward to follow him around to the back of the building.

"Why are we here? It's closed." Edward whispered. He was paranoid that someone was watching them and would suspect them of doing something suspicious. Without answering the young man, Desider removed the tension wrench and short hook from his pocket and began to pick the lock to the back door. "Desider, this is breaking and entering!"

"I asked the owner."

"Why didn't he give you a spare key?"

"He doesn't have a spare!" The blond snapped at the young man. "It's fine! Don't be so paranoid." He scolded.

In just moments, he managed to pick the lock. He removed the lock and tossed it aside. Edward sat the books he had been carrying next to the lock on the ground before silently following after Desider into the building. They entered the pitch black pub where the Illuminati held their meetings. Desider lit a gas lantern and removed it from the wall. "It's down stairs." Yes, down stairs he could retrain Edward until he had a way to kill him and himself. Death was their only escape. No one could hurt them or use them in their master plot. It was the only way.

The thought of going down stairs made Edward extremely uncomfortable. He felt a frantic urge to run, but he felt even more uncomfortable turning his back to Desider. He recalled his dream from several nights ago. Desider's peculiar and distant behaviour. The two traveling in the dark trying to escape a mysterious place that lead them to the university's prison. "No."

Desider grabbed a brown glass bottle from the bar tender's shelf. "It's right down these steps."

"We should leave." Edward took a step back from the deranged blond.

"Go down the stairs, Edward." He demanded.

"What's down stairs, Desider?" The young man raised his voice to conceal the fear in his tone.

"You'll see!"

"No!"

Desider placed the gas lantern down on the table. "How can someone so _intelligent_ be so _ignorant_!" Desider smashed the end of the bottle on the table- shattering the glass and the alcoholic contents of the bottle all over himself. He held the sharp jagged end of the bottle towards Edward. "Go down the stairs." He demanded a final time.

Edward turned to escape through the door, but Desider tackled him to the floor. He raised the bottle over his head with both of his hands to bring it crashing down on his roommate's head, but by using his leg and arm as leverage, Edward managed to knock the blond off balance. Frantically, Edward ran behind the bar to block the ravage person. They darted back and forth at either end of the bar trying to capture and escape one another. Desider growled and stepped back to get a running start. He ran and slid across the top of the bar, but Edward grabbed him mid slide by his shirt and pulled him into the shelf of spirits and liquors. Glass shattered everywhere, their contents soaked the floor and their clothes. Desider spat the blood that painted his lips from the glass cutting his face. He cried out in agony as the alcohol burned his eyes and cuts as the glass penetrated his skin. He charged at the young man and grabbed him by his wrists. Edward was at a disadvantage. Strength was never one of his traits, but he was still weak from being tortured and malnourished. Effortlessly, Desider forced the young man back until his back was against the wall. Edward knew that lacking strength was his weakness, but what were Desider's? He quickly examined his situation. Desider was relying on his weight to push Edward back, not his strength and his stance was weak. If he could use the wall behind him as support, he could deliver a forceful kick to Desider's stomach. Edward tried to pull his wrists from Desider's hands. If he worked against the muscles in the thumbs, he could break free. Using the wall as support, Edward positioned his stance. He forced his fists downward like hammers onto Desider's thumbs, to break from his grasp. Unprepared, the blond lost his balance and Edward was able to kick him in the stomach, knocking him back onto the floor. Desider grabbed his stomach. He coughed and wheezed, fighting back the need to vomit.

"NO! THEY'LL KILL YOU!" Desider roared at the fleeing Edward. He managed to get back onto his feet. He swayed where he stood, dizzy from dehydration. Feebly, he charged after Edward again who panicked and grabbed the nearest item he could find the throw at Desider: The lantern.

The lantern's combustion threw Edward back. The bright light blinded him- briefly shocking him and causing the world around him to be silent. He was convinced that the explosion had killed him, but he could faintly hear Desider screaming in the background.

Edward forced his eyes open. The pub was swarmed by flames and asphyxiating smoke.

"THE ILLUMINATI WILL KILL YOU!" Desider repeatedly screamed until his words were choked and gagged on by the smoke. Edward's gaze riveted on Desider's charred and blistering face which was now beyond recognition. The young man's feet were plastered to the ground, but he knew he had to escape or he would meet the same fate.

Apprehensively, Edward turned away and ran to the exit. He opened the door and tried to run, but he found himself tripping instead.

The books.

He collected his text book, his notebook, and Desider's journal, making certain to not leave behind any evidence before rushing off into the night and back to the university.

Edward managed to return the books to the dorm and retrieve a clean change of clothes without anyone noticing. He ran through the woods and to the pond where Dr. Maxis had taken him hunting. The reality of what he had done was finally setting in. His paranoia was overwhelming his thoughts- the thoughts he so desperately needed to concentrate so he could escape his nightmare. The young man filled his pants pockets with rocks and tied his shirt around another large rock and then threw them into the pond. He swam out into the water and washed away the scent of alcohol.

The stars were disappearing from the sky as dawn approached. He had to return to his dorm before anyone could notice him missing. Quickly, Edward swam to shore, changed into his clean clothes and again ran through the woods in the direction of the university.

Upon his return, he discovered Dr. Maxis loading his belongings into a horse drawn carriage. He approached the older man with haste. "I've changed my mind. I was foolish to reject you and it would be a privilege to accompany you as your apprentice." Dr. Maxis studied the young man. His hair was wet, his clothes were disheveled, and he was gasping for air as if he had ran for miles. There was so much to teach him...

"You have ten minutes to gather your belongings."

"Yes. Thank you, Dr. Maxis!" Edward quickly scampered up the steps to the university and ran the entire way to his dorm. He removed the trunk from beneath his bed and opened it and studied the room, uncertain of what to take with him...then he realised that he couldn't take any of it. For Desider to be considered missing or if he was discovered dead and all of Edward's belongings to suddenly disappear, it would appear highly suspicious- even if he was already to be a suspect.

Edward studied Desider's journal stacked upon the books he had carried all day. It possibly contained evidence pointing towards the organisation Desider was working for, but it more than likely did contain information about Edward's interactions with Dr. Maxis...

Without further thought, Edward removed a shirt and a pair of pants from the bed side table and wrapped the journal within them. Silently and rapidly, Edward ran down the hallway, down the steps, and returned to Dr. Maxis. Edward climbed into the carriage which took off before he could close the door.

* * *

 **A/N:** Special thanks to **Jennyrenee**! Without her, I wouldn't have been able to get hints of audio quotes and Easter Eggs before maps were released for PC and Xbox!

 **Thank you everyone** for being so patient for this update! I wanted everything perfect and I hope you all enjoyed it! I've had a this chapter planned out since before I ever started writing. At that point, Desider didn't even have a name, so there wasn't any character development, no relation between him and Edward, and I didn't expect anyone to really like him. I expected Desider to be completely written off as just another over-powered and obnoxious OC, so he was created to die. I never imagined that I would run into people who would quote him or even like him. So thank you all for all the feedback and opinions!

 **Quotes:**

 **- **Edward Richtofen** , Gorod Krovi, CODBO3:**

"To be honest, I didn't enjoy starting fires as a child- I just did it."

"I always wanted a child of my own, fitting that it has scales and breaths fire. Like father, like son, I suppose... Sound familiar?"

"Contrary to what some might say, I don't really enjoy catching things on fire."

 **\- Edward Richtofen, Revelations, CODBO3:**

"The theatre! I readily admit that I have some flair for the theatrical."

 **Facts:**

The Lizzie Borden nursery rhyme is based on a true story about Lizzie killing her parents with an axe on August 4, 1892. Due to a lack of suspects and evidence, Lizzie Borden was not charged with murder, but the local children would follow her down the streets singing the nursery rhyme.

In the early 1900's, taking long leisurely walks was a popular activity (but that alone would have made a boring story).


	35. Chapter 35

"I hope you understand that there's no turning back now, Edward."

 _If only he knew the actual weight behind that statement..._

"I suppose it's time I told you more about me and the organisation I work for." The stare from his cold brown eyes softened, revealing a much wearier man. Edward focused intently on Dr. Maxis, but his mind desperately struggled to be elsewhere.

"I am the head scientist of a group known as Group 935. An organisation that works along side with the German military. While we do not concern ourselves so much with politics, we do assist the German military in return for funding our research. We are currently a small, but an ambitious group of scientist," He smiled. "And I think you are exactly what I am looking for."

Edward arched his brow at the man, but remained silent. "If I say what I'm looking for, I fear that I might limit you to focus on those _desired_ areas when I know that you have so much untapped potential."

Edward nodded. He didn't care what he agreed to or what Dr. Maxis had in mind for him. If he had remained in Heidelberg, he would more than likely be arrested for Desider's death and if he wasn't imprisoned first, certainly the people who had captured him before, would do it again. Edward could only assume that the unknown group was the Illuminati that Desider mentioned- despite how little sense it would make for an ancient political group to want anything to do with Edward.

The young man ran his fingers through his hair. How was it that Dr. Maxis could provide him with so much more information and yet still be so elusive? Why did the Illuminati warn him about a group of scientists...unless they possessed something they feared?

"Is something troubling you, Edward?" Dr. Maxis inquired. Edward hesitated to respond, knowing that now was certainly not the time to share his true thoughts. If he could focus the older man's attention more on speaking rather than listening, the Edward knew he could be left alone to his thoughts and give polite nods in response to the man's one sided conversation.

"Other than the purpose of funding, do you believe that by assisting Germany in political matters- despite remaining neutral- that they will help Group..."

"Group 935."

"Er- yes, Group 935. Will it help Group 935 pursue their actual agenda of improving the human condition?"

A subtle glimpse of concern wrinkled the man's forehead, but his expression returned to its usual stern yet emotionless gaze. "I'm no psychologist, but even I know that it is unhealthy to obsess over politics," Dr. Maxis paused and gave himself a reassuring nod to continue his statement. "But I do trust that the Emperor and his people will do what is best for the motherland and her people will strive and we will continue to lead the world with being the most advanced in technology, which will one day allow us to improve the human condition." Dr. Maxis, smiled slightly feeling satisfied with his answer. Honestly, Edward was hoping for a longer reply and he would be able to avoid the silence that was slowly setting in between them, but he was too fatigued to interrogate the man any further.

"Now, might I ask you a question?"

"Proceed." Edward gave a less than enthusiastic reply.

"What caused you to change your mind about coming with me?"

It was the one question that Edward desired to avoid most. It was his first day with his new boss and he was already telling nothing, but lies. The young man clasped his hands together in his lap. "I wanted the opportunity to work and gain personal experience before graduating from University." It wasn't entirely a lie. Before all the chaos, that was in fact the reason Edward wanted to accompany Dr. Maxis.

Edward yawned and rubbed his eyes. He was so exhausted from yesterday and the unstimulating ride in the carriage certainly wasn't helping.

Without any warning, Dr. Maxis removed his tweed jacket and tossed it to Edward for him to rest his head on. "Rest for now, we have a long journey ahead of us."

* * *

Days had passed since the fire had destroyed the small Heidelberg pub. Now, it sat in a pile of ruin and ash. The floor had caved in, crushing the underground paths and the small room that Bastian had used as an area for torture.

The pub owner argued furiously with the fire brigade that he hadn't left any lanterns burning, but locals remained skeptic until the charred remains of a body was discovered.

"His identity has yet been released to the public, but the body of what appears to be a young male has been discovered in the remains of the pub, says Officials. It is too early to claim if foul play was involved, but locals claim that the victim was not alone around the time of the incident. If you have any knowledge that could possibly help the Police reach a conclusion, please come forth."

The Circle glared at Bastian as the large man finished reading the newspaper article. "According to Adam's investigations, Desiderius Thibaut and Edward Richtofen are both missing. Their dorm appears untouched and Ludvig Maxis is gone as well." Engelbert leaned over the table and yelled at Bastian in a threatening voice. "Maxis, Richtofen, and Thibaut are missing! A cadaver is discovered in the burnt remains of OUR rendezvous point- that ONLY Desiderius would know about!" He harshly directed a finger at the broad shouldered man. His face was bright red and he spat as he spoke. "YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO PREVENT ALL OF THIS! DESIDERIUS SHOULD BE HELPING US KEEP AN EYE ON EDWARD SO THAT HE DOESN'T ASSOCIATE WITH THAT DAMN MAXIS, SO THAT HIS PRECIOUS GROUP DOESN'T PROGRESS!"

Bastian stood before The Circle, unmoved by his furry. Fear is simply being weary of approaching the unknown and Bastian was certain that this conversation would lead him to a well known friend that he had worked along side with for so many years...

 _Death._

"However, you're not entirely to blame. Adam was the one who foolishly recruited Desiderius," Engelbert removed a pistol from his pocket and aimed it at Bastian. "But I personally made certain that he would no longer be of concern." He cocked the gun.

"This is more than likely Edward that people claim to have seen Desiderius with. If Edward is arrested for Desider's death, then we will have absolutely nothing. At least, if Edward is with Ludvig, we can always force him to be our spy." The man to Engelbert's right suggested.

The man who sat to his left adjusted his glasses before he spoke. "On your average day, I would say that just about any man with dark hair and basic university attire, such as a white shirt and black pants could have been accompanying Thibaut...especially with a confession.

* * *

"You don't find it eerie that Desiderius and Edward happen to go missing the day a body is discovered in a burned down pub?"

"A body was discovered. Not two." The brunette man lazily grinned to himself as he puffed on his opium pipe.

The dirty blonde haired man adjusted his glasses as he skimmed over the news paper. "They left all of their belongings."

"They eloped." He chuckled.

"They did not."

"Then Ernest finally snapped and killed our beloved Desiderius and he escaped into the night to find his next victim. Now, shut up and smoke your pipe."

The young man with dirty blonde hair removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes with his palm.

"It bothers me as well." The older man finally admitted. "But I know there's nothing that I can do. So, I make the best of it and ignore the truth." He lit his roommate's opium pipe and gave it to him with a smirk.

"Well, I suppose we might as well assume the best since nothing is definite." The dirty blonde haired man returned a slight smile before taking a deep drawl of his opium pipe. "So, why would two non homosexual men elope together?"

"You don't know that! Homosexuality is illegal! They wouldn't tell anyone- especially you." The brunette added under his breath. "So, to travel lightly they left all of their belongings."

"Then how do you explain the burning of the pub?"

"What about it?! Things burn down all the time!" He raised his arms out defensively. He could see the disappointment in his roommate's face for his lack of an explanation. "But if you must know- and I'm only telling you this because no one ever tells you anything..." The older man inhaled on his pipe for dramatic effect. "As the two were eloping, they passed the bar where everyone was having such a good time and everyone was drunk. So, when Desiderius announced their engagement, everyone got happier and even drunker and they had a huge celebration! Except there was one guy who was pissed about it entirely. Despite how angry he was, he stayed at the pub, just to yell all kinds of obscenities at Edward and Desiderius. While everyone was dancing and being merry, a fire broke out! Everyone escaped except for that one man who was too busy yelling and swearing at the crowd to even notice the place burning down! And it was that man's body that the police discovered."

"...You're an idiot."

* * *

 **A/N:** I'll come back later and list the quotes and the facts and I'll try to list them on days that I do update, so no one thinks there's an update and it's a chapter fix or whatever. Right now, I just want to focus on updating because the research is killing me.

Lately, I've been wasting time on pointless research that I don't think I need right now (like spending four hours trying to find a German map from 1910 showing train tracks, then discovering that Heidelberg to the nearest train station was 104.000 miles (167.3717km) and the average horse travels at 4mph (6.43738kmh) then it would take them 26 hours to reach the nearest destination. HOWEVER, the average horse can only travel 20 miles per day (32.1869km), so how many stops would they need to make in between?  
NONE. Because this is supposed to be a little before 1914 (for age reasons), so they wouldn't be heading towards Metz, France at this time.)

 ** _As always, thank you for reading._**


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